Story by a FODE Student
Matella is from a little hamlet called Pompimeri in the Kundiawa/Gembogl District of Simbu Province. She started school in 1966 and went as far as Grade 6 before dropping out in 1972 because her marks were too low. Not one to give up, she left home in search of job and a better life for herself. There was no way she would spend the rest of her life being a village girl. Her six years of early childhood education had unraveled a whole new world of learning, a world held so much promised than the dreary village life that was in store for her in the village. Armed with her Grade Six Primary School Certificate, she set off-on a quest to conqure the world. Matella found employment as a cleaner at the Gopme Health Center in Upper Simbu, earning a wage of K14.00. K14.00 was alot of money while toying around with the idea of how to spend it, she chanced upon the opportunity to undergo Correspondence Studies through the College Of External Studies in Kundiawa. For the next two years, Matella paid her way through Grade seven and Eight with part of her K14 fortnightly wage, graduating in 1978 with a Grade 8 Certificate from the College of External Studies. A year later, while still employed as a cleaner, she enrolled at the Kundiawa School of Nursing as a Nurse Aid, the equivalent of a Community Health Worker today, and did a years training. She graduated in 1975. 1975 was special for Matella and as she basked in the warmth of an independent Papua New Guinea, she also took comfort in knowing that her life as a cleaner was over, she was now a graduate Nurse Aid, employed in the Province's biggest health institution, the Kundiawa General Hospital. Over the next thirteen years, Matella dutifully went about her job, finding love, marrying, raising children and juggling her medical carrier. She worked tirelessly, her high school teacher husband urging her on. But she was not content and knew there was something she still still had to do-go back to school. In 1988, Matella enrolled at the College of Distant Education in Kundiawato to do Grade 9 and 10. She than applied and was accepted to do four year Diploma in Nursing course at the Highlands Regional College of Nursing in Goroka, and Graduated as a registered nurse with a Diploma in Nursing in 1993. Matella returned home and was sent to look after the Pari and Wandi rural health centers as Officer in Charge. While Matella worked, she matriculated, completing Grade 11 and 12 and in 2002, enrolled at the University of Goroka for Diploma in Nursing Education. She returned home and after working for a year, enrolled at the University of Papu New Guinea's School of Medicine and Health Science under its Nursing Administration program, graduating in 2005 with Bachelor's degree in Nursing Education. For Matella, the journey she set off on more than 30 years ago was finally complete. She had under her belta Nursing Degree, atestament of sheer hard work and determination. On April 23rd this year, Matella received another award, this time from the PNG Government in recognition of her untiring dedication and contribution to the medical profession in the counry. And she stood beside me, she admitted that success had not come easy.

Story by Matella Kuman