As the Community Hub walls are being built and infrastructure secured, we will simultaneously begin purchasing supplies. We want to be prepared so immediately upon the Hub being ready to go, we can bring it to life with youth expanding their students and women launching their businesses.
With your support, we will purchase
- One Koolbox Solar Freezer - $4,000
- For storing and selling ice to fishermen.
- Fresh vegetables will be frozen to be sold at the town markets.
- The daily catch of fish and shrimp will be frozen for later sale.
- Bula Village citizens’ health will improve by using the freezer for personal food and vaccine storage.
- Three electric sewing machines - $2,000
- Women will become seamstresses and sell clothing in Bula and neighboring villages, and the larger markets in town .
- Youth can learn how to sew to support their families now, and in the future develop a career
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Ten Laptops – $10,000
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The laptops will be used by youth to access online learning through the Flexible, Open & Digital Education (FODE) program for Grades 7–12, following PNG’s Department of Education curriculum. This will support students in continuing their secondary education remotely.
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In addition to FODE, the laptops will support access to the Smart Village Training Program, which offers online courses for rural people. These courses provide practical farming knowledge and techniques for growing high-value cash crops such as cocoa and vanilla, along with essential skills in financial literacy, and are free.
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The laptops will also enable women to pursue a variety of online learning opportunities aimed at both personal and professional development. These include:
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Higher Education and Community Development programs offered through UniTech’s Learning Management System under the EU-STREIT PNG initiative.
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Certificate and Diploma courses in Business Studies from the IEA College of TAFE.
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Matriculation Courses from the PNG UNRE Centre for Self-Education, enabling women to complete high school-level qualifications.
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Alongside these local options, the laptops will provide access to free global learning platforms such as Khan Academy and Alison, which offer a broad range of educational content that women and girls can use to improve their academic knowledge, life skills, and career prospects.
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This access will empower women to improve their education, manage their own businesses and engage in online sales thus opening up new income-generating opportunities and pathways to financial independence.
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- Tables, chairs, lamps and school supplies - $2,000
- Miscellaneous expenses - $500
Two services with regular expenses will improve lives, and provide income and education. We ask that you consider supporting these monthly expenditures.
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Kacific Satellite
Internet's monthly fee to provide 200 GB of
Wi-Fi reaching all of Bula Village - $170
- This expense will be offset by selling repacked data bundles to residents at a nominal fee, with a goal of turning a profit.
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The PNG Department of
Education FODE monthly tuition fee per student
is $200 x 30 - $6,000
- Initially ISTOI will cover this expense while businesses are being built and incomes are increasing. The goal is to transfer this expense to Bula Village as it becomes self-sufficient.
Thank you!
A Village Left in the Dark
Far from the noise of cities and the convenience of modern life lies Bula Village, a remote coastal community in Papua New Guinea, reachable only after hours of travel by boat. It’s a place rich in culture, resilience, and hope… but deeply limited by isolation.
In Bula, over 700 people live without electricity, reliable communication, or access to essential resources. When the sun sets, darkness falls completely. Children with dreams of education are forced to stop learning. Youth with ambition and potential are left without the tools or opportunities to grow, connect, or shape their futures. Women with skills and ideas have no way to grow businesses or reach wider markets.
But this can change—and it starts with us.
✨ Why I’m Doing This – My Story
My name is Nawi, the Founder of Innovative Solutions to Overcome Inequality (ISTOI).
I’ve seen firsthand the strength, resilience, and potential that exists in communities like Bula Village. I’ve met women who are incredibly resourceful, hardworking, and full of ideas, but held back by circumstances beyond their control. I’ve seen children and youth eager to learn and grow yet limited by something as basic as the lack of light after sunset.
I couldn’t ignore it, so I founded ISTOI purposely to bridge societal divides, empower communities, and advance inclusive, equitable growth across Papua New Guinea through innovative, technology-driven solutions. ISTOI is fiscally sponsored by Humanitarian Social Innovations, a US 501(c)(3) nonprofit, EIN 46-4779591.
This fundraiser is not just about supporting a meaningful cause; it’s about standing alongside a community that deserves the same opportunities many of us take for granted.
I’m taking this on because I believe where you are born should not determine what you can become. And I believe that, together, we can help rewrite that story for Bula Village.
To learn more about my story and ISTOI, click the “Meet Nawi & ISTOI” tab above.
Children studying under the dim glow of
lantern light | 
Early-age school children of Bula Village |
❤️ Why This Matters
- When a girl has light to study, she has a better chance at education.
- When a woman has tools to earn, she gains independence and confidence.
- When a community is connected, it becomes stronger, more resilient, and full of possibility.
(According to UNICEF, only 47% of girls in PNG attend primary school, and 17% attend secondary school. In the 2022 national election, only three of the 111 seats in parliament were held by women, representing just 2.7% of the total seats)
With your support, together we can unlock doors to education, entrepreneurship, and independence, especially for women and girls who are too often left behind.
✨ We Have a Vision to Achieve This
We are raising funds to build a Community Learning & Empowerment Hub—a space that will transform daily life in Bula Village. This hub will be more than just a building. It will be a gateway to opportunity, especially for women and girls who are ready to rise.
✨ With your support, we aim to provide:
⚡ Solar Power – Reliable, sustainable electricity so children can study at night and families can live more safely and productively.
🌐 Internet Connectivity – Opening doors to online education, communication, and digital opportunities never before accessible in Bula.
📚 Learning Resources & Equipment – Laptops, books, furniture, and tools to support education, training, and skill-building.
🧵 Practical Skills Training – Sewing machines and resources to help women start small businesses, earn income, and support their families.
To learn more about each component, click the links below.
🌟 Our Vision for Change
🤝 Join Me in Making This Vision a Reality
💛 Donate today and help
bring light to Bula Village. I cannot do this on my
own—together we can achieve greater impact.
🌍 Stand with me in empowering women, children and youth in one of PNG’s most remote communities To check the latest update on this project, click the "Update" tab above | 
Inside the Community Hub with water storage cisterns in the
background, women look at photographs. |
✨ When you give, you don’t just support a project—you change lives.
Please consider a one-time or monthly donation. While all donations are greatly appreciated, your monthly gift will allow us to plan and budget for larger expenditures. For U.S. donors, your gift is tax-deductible. All funds are received and managed by our U.S. partner, Humanitarian Social Innovations.
Let’s build a
future where geography no longer limits potential.
Let’s bring light,
learning, and opportunity to Bula Village—together.
Thank You for Your Support
