Australian Marist Solidarity

working in partnership for change

Donate now

Click Here
Working in partnership for change
Menu
  • Home
  • Who we serve
    • > View All Countries
    • Bangladesh
    • Bougainville
    • Cambodia
    • Fiji
    • India
    • Kiribati
    • Samoa
    • Solomon Islands
    • The Philippines
    • Timor-Leste
    • Vanuatu
    • Vietnam
    • Close
  • Support us
    • Events
    • FUNDRAISING IDEAS
    • Organisations & Business
    • Gifts in your Will
    • Workplace Giving
    • Close
  • NEWS
    • VIDEOS
    • Media Releases
    • Publications
    • LATEST NEWS
    • Close
  • Who we are
    • Our Policies
    • Close
  • Contact
    • Ways to Donate
    • FEEDBACK
    • Close
  • LEARN
  • Volunteer with us
  • Donate Now

Bougainville

Map
Population: 240,000
Capital City: Buka
Main Languages: English, Tok Pisin and Pidgin
Major Religion: Catholicism, Methodism and Seventh-day Adventism

By working together, we can empower Bougainvillians to rebuild their communities and enhance their capacity to determine their own development.

Country Information

The Autonomous Region of Bougainville, previously known as North Solomon Islands, is an autonomous region in Papua New Guinea. The region consists of two main islands, Bougainville and Buka, as well as a large number of smaller islands. Bougainville declared its own independence in 1975, but it is not recognised by the United Nations as a sovereign state. Since then, the region has faced decades of turmoil and bitter conflict due to multi-national mining companies establishing mines in the resource-rich islands and imposing colonial regimes. Bougainville has the opportunity to hold a referendum by 2015 to decide if they want to be governed by Papua New Guinea or become an independent state.

Marists in Bougainville

The Marist Brothers arrived in Bougainville in 1941. They then began offering education and healthcare services to the local community. The region has a history of conflict, due to its difficult relationship with Papua New Guinea and its ongoing fight for independence. Between 1988-1997, Bougainville fought a nine-year war against Papua New Guinea that left much of the region destroyed. Despite the lack of resources and destruction the region faces, the Marists Brothers are focused on building relationships that encourage local ownership of development and education programs.

Current Projects

St Joseph’s College Program | BO0013

Quality education for all

St Joseph’s College, a Marist-administered school in Mabiri, Bougainville, which has 657 students across the following grades: Elementary School (Grades P-2) – 105 male and female students Primary School (Grades 3-8) – 159 male and female students Lower Secondary School (Grades 9-10) – 393 male boarding students Vocational Training – 76 male boarding students (two-year course) During the Bougainville conflict […]

Donate More

Past Projects

St Joseph’s College Resources | BO0009

St Joseph’s Hygiene | BO0011

footer logo
  • Home
  • FEEDBACK
facebook

Get Project Updates

Click Here

Donate now

Click Here
ACFID member
© Australian Marist Solidarity 2023

Australian Marist Solidarity (AMS) is the international agency for the aid and development work of the Marist Province of Australia throughout Asia and the Pacific Islands. AMS is part of Marist Solidarity and looks after its development projects. Australian Marist Solidarity is a full member and signatory of the Australian Council for International Development (ACFID). For more information on our commitment to the Code click here. We are endorsed by the Australian Taxation Office as a Deductible Gift Recipient (ABN 46 373 535 209) and registered as a charity with the Australian Charities and Not-for-profit Commission.