The Bahasa Indonesia language program is proving to be an interesting subject to a group of widows in Port Moresby. The 20 women are members of the Widows, Orphans and Deserted Association , a non-government organization, founded in Port Moresby but has aims to spread to other provinces in the country. Among them are also two men, who are also members of the association. Since a month ago, these people have been attending the program, Teaching Bahasa Indonesia for Foreign Speaker, at the Indonesia Embassy with a hope that this will open doors for them to improve their lives. Founding President of the association Cathy Tani said widows, orphans and deserted children are struggling with no government support going directly to them. For this reason, she has been trying to find avenues to help them, and when she was given this opportunity she grabbed it. “I’m really thankful to God for connecting me to the Indonesian Education Attache. Widows and deserted children are struggling. They have been neglected for many years. Learning a language is the first thing. When you know a language, you will be able to communicate (your needs) with others,’’ she said. Ms Tani said she would like her association to connect with the Indonesian women groups that would be of help to women and children in PNG. The association has 2000 members of which 22 are now attending this program. The next lot of their members to attend this program will be young men and women. Indonesia Embassy’s Education Attache Chaerun Anwar said the Bahasa language program is setting a foundation for those who wish to do business with the people from Indonesia or for those that may want to go for studies in Indonesia. For example, he said this will benefit TVET (Technical Vocational and Education Training) students that the Prime Minister James Marape would like to see connect with institutions in Indonesia. “In future, we may invite some Indonesia businessmen to come and meet with PNG businessmen and women, and so on… “We would also like to support the SME conducted by women.’’ The program is held every Saturdays between 9am to 12 midday at the Indonesian Embassy. It’s a six-month program and has three parts to it. In the second and the third part, the participants are also taught music, dance, photography skills and some cooking techniques. The program is taught by Papua New Guineans. Mr Anwar said the Indonesian Embassy would like to invite young men and women in Port Moresby to attend the program at the embassy. It is for free. He said the program, Teaching Bahasa Indonesia for Foreign Speaker, is also taught at Lae Secondary School, PNG University of Natural Resources and Environment , University of PNG, University of Goroka, Melanesian Institute in Goroka and at the Indonesian Consulate in Vanimo. Before the COVID-19 pandemic hit, the program was also aired on Radio Maria. There are plans to re-engage with this radio station. Mr Anwar said the chances of the participants using Bahasa language for communication is high as it is the 9th common language spoken in the world and is the third largest spoken in the Asia Pacific region. Of the more than 300 Papua New Guineans that have completed the program since it begun in 2012, many have used their new found skill to pursue studies in Indonesia. A number of them have found jobs in companies in PNG where the language is spoken by the company staff such as the Malaysian-owned companies.