Education as Empowerment: Marcia Wak's Journey,
By Vinlin Yanda 30th September 2024 Marcia Wak, a dedicated student at the University of Papua New Guinea (UPNG), is on the brink of completing her economics degree at the School of Business and Public Policy. Her educational journey is fuelled by a strong belief in the transformative power of education, a value instilled in her by her parents. Marcia's father, a subsistence farmer from East Sepik, has always been a staunch advocate for investing in women's and girls' education. He firmly believes that empowering women through education can uplift families and communities. “Education is power,” he often says. “It can take you places, even outside Papua New Guinea.” In January 2024, Marcia was selected as one of ten high performing UPNG students to participate in a prestigious month-long summer school program at the Australian National University (ANU). This opportunity, facilitated through the ANU-UPNG partnership supported by the Australian Gov...