Biography:
Christina Simons is an award winning international documentary photographer focused on human rights and civil liberties. Her work is driven by the exploration of sub-cultures and marginalised people, leading to exhibitions throughout Australia,...
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Focus:Photographer, Photojournalist, Travel, Documentary, Photography, Portraiture, Lifestyle, Freelance, Civil Rights and Social Inequality, Humanitarian, Assignments, Commercial
Skills:Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe InDesign, Photo Editing, Black & White Printing, Art Direction, Photojournalism, Visual Effects
Chimbu province, PNG. The valley shows the town of Golgme where UNICEF helps run a program on parenting to support parents to create safe communities for children by highlighting the consequences of violence and physical punishment. On the other side of the mountain in Gaglmambuno, a remote village where the program also runs. Often, program facilitators trek more than 20km from Goglme to Gaglmambuno, through the jungle, across handmade bridges and on narrow dirt roads.
Lucy, 23, holds her daughter Kathy while her husband Palus, 31, stands next to their eldest child Lilian, 6, outside their home in Siure, Chimbu.
Lucy is one of a group of parents who came together last year to talk about violence at home. UNICEF is working to support parents, like Lucy, to create safe communities for children by highlighting the consequences of violence and physical punishment. Lucy says she did not know how to discipline her children before the program. “I used to shout at my children, hit them. But none of that now,” Lucy says. “I think both my daughters are happier now that we are playing with them.”
Palus says he has seen a big change in his wife’s behaviour. “Before she used verbal and physical abuse with the children but when she came back from the course she started speaking nicely to the children, listening to the children and their behaviour has really changed.”
Bimbi, 70, lives with her daughter Maria Majo, 40. Maria looks after her daughter Ellen, 6, her granddaughter Ellen, 2, her mute and deaf brother Waike, 40 and another man Bainam who is also mute. Two-year-old Ellen lives with her grandmother, Maria, in a remote village in Chimbu, Papua New Guinea. Maria started taking care of Ellen when the mother left and the father - Maria’s son Gaby - took up a training role in carpentry in the city. The rough, dirt road makes the journey home long and difficult for Gaby, so he only returns for major family events.
Maria wakes up early each morning to cook, wash and tidy the house for the whole family.
“Every morning I cook for the children - fresh food from the garden,” Maria says. “I clean them, clothe them and make the family hot cocoa.”
Maria says her six-year-old daughter is a huge help around the house and helps play and occupy her granddaughter. But Ellen wasn’t always willing to help her mum. Before taking part in a UNICEF-supported program on parenting, their family life was very different.
“Before my daughter would run off and play and I would get really irritated that she would not do her chores,” Maria says. “But now that I am more positive with her and spend more time listening and communicating with her so Ellen listens more and will do the household chores before running off to play. “Now, if I tell her it is going to rain so she should come home early, she listens and gets home quickly.”
Maria says since her daughter’s attitude change, they have been doing more chores together around the house and have a closer relationship.
“Her behaviour is much better - she is a good girl now and we get along well.” Maria has even noticed the changes rubbing off on her granddaughter Ellen.
“Ellen knows everything - she knows how to play, fetch water, cook the food on the fire, and play,”
Children play in the field of Goglme, Chimbu. Play is not only a child’s right, but it’s also a major milestone for their development. Through play, children explore, invent, and create. For many children, however, the chance to learn and grow through sport and play isn’t an option, robbing them of some of the most important experiences of childhood. Every child deserves the opportunity to play, to be their best and give their all.
Wasna used to be a gambler. She used to lose track of time when she was out gambling. Her six children would cook for themselves and do all the chores because she would get home so late. Her local priest convinced her to attend the UNICEF-supported parenting program.
“Now, I have stopped. I am organised and I spend a lot more time with my children,” says Wasna. “I am so happy that I got the training, but I regret not knowing these things before. I am happy because I have improved myself and now, I want other parents to attend the program.”
Wasna also used to hit and shout at her children. But after learning through the program that violence could leave a mark on her children forever, she immediately stopped and started using new ways to communicate with and discipline her children.
When Wasna completed the program her husband David, who is a nurse at the local health centre, put her certificate in a folder with their important papers.
“Wasna told me they learned many things from the training including treating children properly, respecting our own children and respecting their rights, allowing them some freedom and time to play and not to force them to do too much work,” David says.
“If they did something wrong, I shouted at them, but Wasna always told me there was a better way to deal with them instead of shouting at them. From my side, I thought I was doing the right thing by forcing them to do a lot of work.”
As soon as David started prioritising the needs of his children, their behaviour rapidly changed.
“I saw that my children were starting to grow well, physically and mentally, and I knew that some positive changes were happening in my family.”
For Wasna’s son, 12-year-old Willie, the biggest change has been in his mother’s behaviour. Wasna is home more often, prepares their meals and spends a lot of time in the garden making sure they have enough food to feed the whole family.
He says the program has made his family a lot happier.
Wasna, 25, has six children and lives in Goglme, Chimbu. Her husband, David, 30, is a nurse and works at the health clinic opposite their house. David helps his children get ready for their last day of school. Wasna has cooked a special meal of steamed rice, cabbage, noodles and canned tuna, to celebrate the last day.
Wasna used to be a gambler. She used to lose track of time when she was out gambling. Her six children would cook for themselves and do all the chores because she would get home so late. Her local priest convinced her to attend the UNICEF-supported parenting program.
“Now, I have stopped. I am organised and I spend a lot more time with my children,” says Wasna. “I am so happy that I got the training, but I regret not knowing these things before. I am happy because I have improved myself and now, I want other parents to attend the program.”
Wasna also used to hit and shout at her children. But after learning through the program that violence could leave a mark on her children forever, she immediately stopped and started using new ways to communicate with and discipline her children.
When Wasna completed the program her husband David, who is a nurse at the local health centre, put her certificate in a folder with their important papers.
“Wasna told me they learned many things from the training including treating children properly, respecting our own children and respecting their rights, allowing them some freedom and time to play and not to force them to do too much work,” David says.
“If they did something wrong, I shouted at them, but Wasna always told me there was a better way to deal with them instead of shouting at them. From my side, I thought I was doing the right thing by forcing them to do a lot of work.”
As soon as David started prioritising the needs of his children, their behaviour rapidly changed.
“I saw that my children were starting to grow well, physically and mentally, and I knew that some positive changes were happening in my family.”
A typical home in the highlands of Goglme, in the Chimbu province of Papua New Guinea.
Wasna, 25, has six children and lives in Goglme, Chimbu. Her husband, David, 30, is a nurse and works at the health clinic opposite their house. David helps his children get ready for their last day of school. Wasna has cooked a special meal of steamed rice, cabbage, noodles and canned tuna, to celebrate the last day.
Wasna used to be a gambler. She used to lose track of time when she was out gambling. Her six children would cook for themselves and do all the chores because she would get home so late. Her local priest convinced her to attend the UNICEF-supported parenting program.
“Now, I have stopped. I am organised and I spend a lot more time with my children,” says Wasna. “I am so happy that I got the training, but I regret not knowing these things before. I am happy because I have improved myself and now, I want other parents to attend the program.”
Wasna also used to hit and shout at her children. But after learning through the program that violence could leave a mark on her children forever, she immediately stopped and started using new ways to communicate with and discipline her children.
When Wasna completed the program her husband David, who is a nurse at the local health centre, put her certificate in a folder with their important papers.
“Wasna told me they learned many things from the training including treating children properly, respecting our own children and respecting their rights, allowing them some freedom and time to play and not to force them to do too much work,” David says.
“If they did something wrong, I shouted at them, but Wasna always told me there was a better way to deal with them instead of shouting at them. From my side, I thought I was doing the right thing by forcing them to do a lot of work.”
As soon as David started prioritising the needs of his children, their behaviour rapidly changed.
“I saw that my children were starting to grow well, physically and mentally, and I knew that some positive changes were happening in my family.”
Martha Mende, 45, outside her home with her children, nieces and nephews.
Martha’s husband, the father of her two older children, left eight years ago. She remarried and had another two children but their father also left. She cares for her four children in the village of Siure, Chimbu where she runs a small market.
After participating in the UNICEF-supported parenting program, Martha says she has noticed the children’s attitudes have changed. They help her with household chores like fetching water and talk to her about school.
“I see a big change in the children. When I talk to them, they listen to me and my instructions, they respond and they help me. They are kind to me, they are polite to me. This makes me happy because I am only one parent and if they weren’t like this it would make me upset and be much harder for me,” Martha says.
Martha’s eldest daughter, Serita, says her mother is much more polite now. “At first she used to be aggressive but after the class, she is now polite and she seems to respect us.”
Brigidha’s son Tine; 2; with his grandmother Rosa who participated in the UNICEF-supported positive parenting program. Brigidha; 24; is a facilitator of a UNICEF-supported positive parenting program. Brigidha sits with her daughter Clara; 1. She also has a son Tine; 2 (not captured).
Brigidha is one of the many facilitators who trek through the mountains in Goglme; Chimbu; to reach communities in some of the most difficult-to-reach regions of PNG. Often she hires a babysitter to trek through the mountains with her to help carry her children and all the equipment she needs for the program. It usually takes them about three hours to walk to the village.
“We walk up in the evening and we sleep there and take the workshop in the morning. The participants come with their babies and travel from all different places - usually long distances; ” she says.
Brigidha knows the importance of having a safe home for children. She says since the roll-out of the program; she has seen parents playing with their children; hugging their children and talking to them - rather than shouting and screaming.
“I see in the program that people are definitely changing. Later the children will be positive and live in a positive environment and that will change the community and the society that we live in.”
Children play in Tobia’s garden in Goglme, Chimbu. Play is not only a child’s right, but it’s also a major milestone for their development. Through play, children explore, invent, and create. For many children, however, the chance to learn and grow through sport and play isn’t an option, robbing them of some of the most important experiences of childhood. Every child deserves the opportunity to play, to be their best and give their all.
Ellen, 2, with (pictured) her grandmother Maria Majo, 40.
Maria Majo, 40, (pictured) looks after her mother Bimbi, 70, her daughter Ellen, 6, her granddaughter Ellen, 2, her mute and deaf son Waike, 40 and another man Bainam who is also mute.
Two-year-old Ellen lives with her grandmother, Maria, in a remote village in Chimbu, Papua New Guinea. Maria started taking care of Ellen when the mother left and the father - Maria’s son Gaby - took up a training role in carpentry in the city. The rough, dirt road makes the journey home long and difficult for Gaby, so he only returns for major family events.
Maria wakes up early each morning to cook, wash and tidy the house for the whole family.
“Every morning I cook for the children - fresh food from the garden,” Maria says. “I clean them, clothe them and make the family hot cocoa.”
Maria says her six-year-old daughter is a huge help around the house and helps play and occupy her granddaughter. But Ellen wasn’t always willing to help her mum. Before taking part in a UNICEF-supported program on parenting, their family life was very different.
“Before my daughter would run off and play and I would get really irritated that she would not do her chores,” Maria says. “But now that I am more positive with her and spend more time listening and communicating with her so Ellen listens more and will do the household chores before running off to play. “Now, if I tell her it is going to rain so she should come home early, she listens and gets home quickly.”
Maria says since her daughter’s attitude change, they have been doing more chores together around the house and have a closer relationship.
“Her behaviour is much better - she is a good girl now and we get along well.” Maria has even noticed the changes rubbing off on her granddaughter Ellen.
“Ellen knows everything - she knows how to play, fetch water, cook the food on the fire, and pray,” Maria says. “When we cook and serve it on the plate she prayers.”
Tobia’s grandchildren help her peel potatoes from the garden. Tobia has six grandchildren that she cares for in her home in the mountainous region of Chimbu, PNG.
Just three days after her youngest grandchildren, Ellen was born, Ellen’s mother was rushed to the health clinic with terrible head pains. The centre didn’t have a doctor on call, so they drove the mother to Port Moresby, more than 430km away. She died a few weeks later.
Since then, Tobia has not only been caring for Ellen and her four siblings but her granddaughter Quincilla, whose mother left.
“I have all these young kids under my care and I want them to grow up to be good people,” Tobia says. “It is a lot of work and I don’t have a lot of time to even look after my own backyard. My garden has gotten all bushy now.”
“But I do it because I have to do it, there is no one else. “The kids' mothers are not around so I do what I have to do.” The greatest gift any grandparent can give their child is the chance for a better future. These grandmothers are doing exactly that, by ensuring their grandchildren have access to nutritious food, clean water, quality education and a safe and happy home.
Barri, 52, pushes his grandson, Benjamin, 3, on the swing. Barri, 52, and wife Maria, 45, have eight children. They both attended the positive parenting program so that they could become better parents for their children. Their eldest daughter, Konglia, 17, (pictured) helps her mother by fetching water and cooking.
Barri was the first man to take part in the positive parenting program in Siure, Chimbu. He says the workshops helped him deal with his anger towards the children.
“In the sessions, we learnt that when you are verbally abusing the children like shouting at the children it doesn’t really help the child. I have changed from that behaviour and I have made a commitment in the workshop to stop abusing my children by yelling at them, name calling them and hitting them.”
While some of Barri’s children are now older, he hopes that they will also attend the training so that they bring up their children well.
Children from the two opposing tribes in Siure, Chimbu play soccer. The Silku and Kamaneku tribes have opposed one another for generations. The town’s road divides the land between the tribes. But a UNICEF-supported positive parenting program is building relationships between communities that have conflicts tethered throughout generations of history.
Clement Bundo, 42, Coordinator of the Positive Parenting Program, believes the program is helping to ease generations of conflicts between tribes and clans in the Chimbu province. Clement says while clans go to some events together - namely church celebrations - they would never travel to each other’s land.
But attitudes are shifting. Families from various clans and tribal backgrounds all took part in UNICEF’s parenting training. Even the facilitators, Kauna, 29, and Josephine, 30, were from rival backgrounds.
“When parents met their fellow participants in the training, they discussed issues that they were having with parenting,” Clement, 42, says.
“This has brought them together and now they are even building an early childhood development centre for the children of both tribes to go to.”Clement hopes that the parenting program will not only ease current relationships among the community but will create a wave of change in society where the new generation will treat one another equally, regardless of their background.
“With the parenting program, all the community is coming together so it is a good foundation that can bring together the clans,” Clement says.
“In terms of looking forward, we do think that behaviour will change because the communities are spending more time together.
“We hope that the children will see one another as friends and fellow peers and not as someone else in another clan.”
Unlike the village of Siure, where a road divides the land between the opposing Silku and Kamaneku tribes, the market in Kerowagi is neutral ground and everyone is welcome.
Previously in the markets, people from opposing tribes who only come to the market to buy goods.
But a UNICEF-supported positive parenting program is building relationships between communities that have conflicts tethered throughout generations of history.
Clement Bundo, 42, Coordinator of the Positive Parenting Program, believes the program is helping to ease generations of conflicts between tribes and clans in the Chimbu province. Clement says while clans go to some events together - namely church celebrations - they would never travel to each other’s land.
But attitudes are shifting. Families from various clans and tribal backgrounds all took part in UNICEF’s parenting training. Even the facilitators, Kauna, 29, and Josephine, 30, were from rival backgrounds.
“When parents met their fellow participants in the training, they discussed issues that they were having with parenting,” Clement, 42, says.
“This has brought them together and now they are even building an early childhood development centre for the children of both tribes to go to.”Clement hopes that the parenting program will not only ease current relationships among the community but will create a wave of change in society where the new generation will treat one another equally, regardless of their background.
“With the parenting program, all the community is coming together so it is a good foundation that can bring together the clans,” Clement says.
“In terms of looking forward, we do think that behaviour will change because the communities are spending more time together.
“We hope that the children will see one another as friends and fellow peers and not as someone else in another clan.”
In Papua New Guinea and other countries in our region, UNICEF is supporting parents and governments to create safe communities for children. We’re providing emergency medical care and training community leaders to prevent and respond to violence.
Children have the right to a home environment that is safe and secure, and free from violence. Violence in the home shatters a child’s basic right to feel safe and secure in the world. Violence has no place in a child’s life.
Papua New Guinea has one of the highest rates of children both experiencing and witnessing violence in the Asia Pacific. While the country has given some attention to the issue in recent years, abuse is still commonplace in many households. The impacts of violence at home are very real and concerning for children. There is significant evidence that violence, exploitation and abuse can affect a child’s physical and mental health in the short and long term, impairing their ability to learn and socialise, and impacting their transition to adulthood with adverse consequences later in life.
While media coverage often focuses on the shocking repercussions of violence, very little attention is given to the families who are transforming their homes from a place of punishment to a space of understanding and communication. This is my point of difference in my storytelling. This work looks at the impact of shifting attitudes and behaviours in households and how these changes are reverberating through to the broader community in the province of Chimbu, PNG. It showcases the development of stronger relationships, not only between children and their parents but also between rival tribes and clans that have previously had conflicts tethered throughout generations of history.
Historically in Chimbu, major wars would break out between the Kamaneku and Silku tribes. But the last tribal fight in this region was more than three years ago. Parents from both tribes have been altering their household behaviour and the changes are resonating in the broader community. Through the medium of a traveling exhibition throughout Australia (of images taken in June 2019) the purpose of this body of work is to bring awareness to the impact of these changes on relationships between parents and children and rival community groups whilst also highlighting the hope that these shifting behaviours will not only ease current relationships among tribes but create a wave of change where the next generation will treat one another equally and without violence.
