Dikasuna selected for Kiwa Initiative from over 300 Pacific applicants

By-line: Abagain MARA

Dikasuna Nature Conservation Inc. (DNC) has been selected as one of only 15 successful projects under the Kiwa Initiative, chosen from more than 300 applicants across the Pacific region.

The Kiwa Initiative, supported by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and international development partners, funds innovative nature-based solutions to tackle climate change and biodiversity loss in the Pacific Islands.

According to Kiwa representatives, DNC’s commitment to reforestation, native plant conservation, and community empowerment distinguished it from hundreds of other proposals.

The recognition marks a major milestone for Dikasuna, a community-based organisation founded in the Sinasina-Yonggomugl District of Simbu Province, Papua New Guinea.

Founder and Chief Executive Officer Kalale Kaupa expressed gratitude for the opportunity. “I am honoured to be chosen and excited to venture into this program to better help DNC,” he said.

Kaupa added that the selection would strengthen the organisation’s capacity to implement climate-resilient projects and expand its partnerships across the Pacific.

The Kiwa Initiative supports Pacific Island communities that rely on ecosystems such as forests, mangroves, and coral reefs to adapt to the changing climate. DNC’s inclusion highlights Papua New Guinea’s growing leadership in community-led conservation.

DNC’s work — including the Project Green Lungs reforestation effort and the Golba Protected Area — reflects the principles of the Kiwa Initiative by combining traditional knowledge with modern environmental management.

For the communities of Simbu, this selection is not just an achievement for Dikasuna, but a recognition that local action can have global impact.