POSITIVE Parenting is very important but a lot of people enter parenthood without any skills and tools on how to understand children and the five development milestones, says Zohra Johnwell the founder of the Pikinini Watch PNG.

Pikinini Watch PNG is a Non-Government Organization which was established in 2013 with the aim to create safer space for children.

“Pikinini Watch PNG is a local community based organization focused on Child Protection, Child Rights and the development of children, with the aim and a hope to create awareness and understanding amongst duty bearers in the public sector, private sector and the communities to understand children and to have the right tools and information to change their behaviour,” Zohra Johnwell said.

She said the organization started back in 2013 with the support and kind donations from individuals. She uses her own pocket money and her home office to run the organization. Last year they were able to secure some funding from the Spotlight Initiative Program, the world’s largest effort to end all forms of violence against women and girls.

The Spotlight Initiative is a partnership between European Union and the United Nations that brings groups together from government, civil society and private sector. Over K75 milion was invested in PNG for this effort.

“Just last year we received support from the UNICEF through the Spotlight Initiative with the European Union and are now running the Positive Parenting Program for Child Development under the United Church,” Zohra Johnwell said.

The Positive Parenting Program started last year October, 2020. Since then they have trained 13 facilitators and trialed the program in five different provinces.

On Saturday the 13^th of March 2021, the first batch of 10 parents graduated from the Positive Parenting Program training and received their certificates.

The small but significant graduation ceremony took place in the Servant Heart Ministry International Church at Gerehu. The parents were very grateful and emotional at the same time as they received their certificates.

“One thing that stood out for me during the 6 weeks training was ACT, which stands for Acknowledge, Communicate and Talk. And I discovered that I must make my home become a sweet home.  Because I am the mother and everything comes back to me as a mother. The father goes to work and brings food and money to the table but I am the one that gave birth to the children and takes care of them. I will not put the entire load to the father. I must share the load with him. I must pay positive attention to my children and in everything I do I must make my home a sweet home so that my children will have a positive mindset wherever they are. This will enable my children to become better men and women of this nation,” one of the participants said.

The program is targeted at parents, baby sitters, grandparents, early learning teachers and others in that category who have the responsibility to look after kids in the ages of 3-10 years old. The six weeks training program has shone a light that directed the parents who attended to a different path. It has opened their eyes and each has testified and shared about all the wrong things they were doing to their children while raising them. They admitted that they thought they were right back then.

“Being a strict mum at home, everything I say is final. When I attended the training I realized that the children have their own reasons as to why they were behaving in certain ways so I must approach them in a positive way to make them become positive children and positive citizens of this nation,” another participant stated.

The participants were very grateful to the organization Pikinini Watch PNG and the founder Zohra Johnwell for such initiative that opened their eyes and helped them to change their negative way of parenting to positive parenting. As they received their certificates, they made pledges to become positive parents to their children so that their children can grow up and become better men and women of this nation.

By Rebecca Negere