A groundbreaking partnership between the Ok Tedi Development Foundation (OTDF) and the Centre for Excellence in Financial Inclusion (CEFI) has set its sights on empowering a thousand Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and women-led SMEs in the Western Province of Papua New Guinea (PNG) with financial literacy, with a particular focus on regions covered by the Community Mine Continuation Agreement (CMCA). The memorandum of understanding (MoU), signed on Tuesday, March 12th, signifies a significant stride towards sustainable economic development by bolstering financial literacy and supporting SMEs in the region. Under the terms of the agreement, CEFI will conduct Training of Trainers (ToT) sessions in designated areas, equipping 25 individuals with essential skills in personal money management. These trained individuals will then disseminate direct retail training to 1,000 SMEs and women-led SMEs in the Western Province. The formalization of this partnership took place during a signing ceremony held in Port Moresby, where Mr. Andrew Mari, Acting CEO and Program Services Executive Manager of OTDF, and Mr. Saliya Ranasinghe, Executive Director of CEFI, cemented the collaboration. Mr. Mari hailed the partnership as the commencement of a vital initiative for OTDF, emphasizing its significance in aiding women's groups with financial empowerment and facilitating the growth of their small businesses in the Western Province. “This will be the first MoU that we (OTDF) will be signing with CEFI and we are privileged that CEFI will partner with OTDF to roll out the financial literacy training targeting respective women associations.” Mr. Ranasinghe echoed Mr. Mari's sentiments, underscoring the importance of financial education in propelling the province's development forward. He urged women leaders to utilize the training effectively, recognizing their pivotal role as community influencers. Mr. Ranasinghe also outlined CEFI's plan to enhance financial services accessibility in the Western Province by collaborating with local financial institutions to set up service points, highlighting the 16, 500 access points in PNG which include banks, sub-banks, agencies, Eftpos machines, and ATMS. This concerted effort aims to bridge the financial literacy gap and foster economic resilience among SMEs in the Western Province, with CEFIs intending to replicate this model in other provinces across PNG.