Rotary and Church Partnership Delivers much needed supplies to Cyclone Maila-affected areas in Bougainville, Papua New Guinea 

PEOPLE living in three areas in South Bougainville in the Autonomous Region of Bougainville, Papua New Guinea, whose homes and subsistence gardens were destroyed or affected by Cyclone Maila received much needed food supplies – courtesy of a Rotary and Church partnership initiative in mid-May 2026. 

The relief supplies were organised by the Boroko Rotary Club based in Port Moresby and the Arawa Community Corps in partnership with the Humanitarian program of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints which provided funding for this relief initiative. Caring for others as the Saviour Jesus Christ would, is a focus of the Church.  

The people of Tokuaka village in Buin district and the Mamagota and Haisi areas in Siwai district received supplies consisting of bales of rice, tinned fish and noodles despite challenging on road and off road conditions and the extensive distance traveled for timely delivery. 

On the ground logistics were organised by the Arawa Community Corps. The Boroko Rotary Club is a mother organisation to the Arawa Community Corps.   

President of the Arawa Community Corps, Miriam Petson, expressed massive gratitude and appreciation to humanitarian missionaries Elder Rod and Sister Patricia Smith, Humanitarian missionaries of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Also witnessing the relief efforts  firsthand were Barbara Liri from the PNG Country Office as the Community & Cultural Liaison and Conscilia Sukina from the Port Moresby based Haisi community. 

“Thank you all for your ongoing support as we navigate this relief effort. Your presence and support meant a great deal to the team,” Ms Petson expressed.