Insights from the field: Podcast explores actions in PNG toward the common good

Counsellor Kessia Ruh shares stories about emerging social action initiatives in Papua New Guinea that are giving hope for a more prosperous future.

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PORT MORESBY, Papua New Guinea — In this podcast episode from the News Service, we hear from Kessia Ruh, member of the Continental Board of Counsellors in Australasia, sharing stories about some of the efforts of the Bahá’ís of Papua New Guinea (PNG) to contribute to the wellbeing of their society.

Mrs. Ruh’s accounts highlight a key principle at the core of Bahá’í social action initiatives: faith in the ability of a population to take charge of its own material and spiritual prosperity.

She describes how in localities throughout PNG, people are participating in the Preparation for Social Action program—a Bahá’í-inspired educational initiative fostering capacity in people to draw on scientific knowledge together with spiritual principles to contribute to development of their communities.

Mrs. Ruh says: “The source of motivation for these participants... is the teachings of Bahá’u’lláh, that: ‘the betterment of the world can be accomplished through pure and goodly deeds, through commendable and seemly conduct.’

This profound idea, she says, gives people hope that they “can make their home, their localities, and their communities better.”