Sarah Wagang Kasa, Australia Awards alumna and Mental Health Specialist, is championing improved access to mental health and counselling at the Family Support Centre (FSC) at Angau General Hospital in Lae.
Each day, she deals with 15 to 20 survivors of different forms of violence, including intimate partner violence, sexual violence, and child abuse. From bruises and injuries, to emotional pain and trauma, it takes someone with not only knowledge and skills, but also passion and patience to listen and help. Sarah is a perfect fit for the job.
As the survivors first enter the FSC, Sarah carefully assesses them based on the nature and severity of the cases, as well as determining which cases to register and which ones to refer. After treating and counselling a survivor, Sarah writes medical and impact reports that can be used for legal purposes. Sarah often spends more than two hours attending to a single case, and although this can tiring and stressful, she remains motivated to help those who seek her services.
Prior to joining the FSC in 2010, Sarah worked in the Marshall Islands for eighteen years, with her Certificate in Nursing, which she obtained from St Mary’s School of Nursing in 1992. Inspired by her experiences and a desire to improve the support she provided to clients, she pursued a Bachelor of Clinical Nursing in Mental Health at the University of Papua New Guinea, graduating in 2018.
Yet, Sarah felt she still needed more education and skills, especially in counselling, to help her deal with complicated cases of trauma. In 2021, she obtained a Postgraduate Certificate in Counselling from Griffith University through an Australia Awards PNG’s Short Course Award scholarship.
“I am grateful because, with my nursing and mental health knowledge, I was able to offer basic counselling. Through the Australia Awards scholarship, I really learned about professional counselling which put me on the right path. It has not only benefited me personally, but has also helped me to train my coworkers and colleagues,” says Sarah.
Not only is Sarah dedicated to her work while on-the-job, she also volunteers outside of work to provide counselling services to survivors and victims of violence and substance abuse in her community who cannot access family support centers. “I continue to visit and help these young adults because they will not go to the hospital,” she says.
Sarah also works to raise mental health awareness in workplaces, including recently conducting a workshop with Internal Revenue Commission staff in Lae.
Sarah also collaborates with her colleagues to boost skills and confidence, and share vital information and advice on how to treat different types of cases.
Supported by Australia Awards PNG, Sarah recently attended the second Regional Gender Equality, Disability and Social Inclusion Leadership Summit in the Philippines, which opened new doors for her to not only collaborate with other alumni but also provide solution to a challenge she has been facing in her job.
“I met an alumni from Cambodia who is willing to help me with prosthetic support devices for survivors and persons with disabilities. She will connect me with the organisation who manufactures these. I am grateful for Australia Awards in connecting us, and know it will make a big difference to people in PNG,” says Sarah.
Sarah’s unwavering dedication to her cause, supported by what she has learned in her studies, is helping her to make a tangible contribution to improving family support services and mental health across PNG.