Westpac Outstanding Women Award

The Westpac Outstanding Women Award (WOW Award) rewards women in Papua New Guinea whose work significantly improves life in the country.^[1][2][3] The women who win this award are leaders in the country.^[4] 2012 WOW Award Winner, Susil Nelson-Kongoi, said: "Despite being one of the most resource rich nations on earth, Papua New Guinea still ranks as one of the world’s poorest in terms of economic capacity."^[5] Like many other countries, women do not have equality in Papua New Guinea.^{[6][7][8][9][10]} This award encourages higher status for women.^[10][11] The women who win improve the economy of Papua New Guinea.^[11][12] It rewards specific women who have done a lot of hard work to change the status of women.^[11][2][12] The award is for women in many different kinds of work.^[1] The winners inspire girls to know what jobs they can do.^[8][11][1]

The women who win a WOW gets money for their education.^[13] They get help from experienced workers in their profession.^[13] They get to meet other women with similar at an Australian Executive Women's Leadership meeting.^[13] They also win a cash prize.^[13]

Prize history

The WOW Award started in 2006.^[14] It was called the Westpac Women in Business Award.^[4] The award got a new name in 2013: Westpac Outstanding Women Award.^[4] It was sponsored by Westpac PNG.^[11]

Categories

• Public Sector Award^[3]
• Entrepreneurship Award^[3]
• Private Sector Award^[3]
• Community Responsibility Award^[3]
• Young Achiever^[3]
• Sports Award^[3]
• Not for Profit Award^[15][3]

• Westpac Outsanding Woman Award (one top winner, chosen from the winners of the other categories^[11])^[3]

Selection

Anyone can nominate a woman for a WOW Award.^[8] A group of business people and community members pick the winners.^[16][13][12] They interview the women who were nominated to find the women who are the best leaders and who are the most inspirational.^[12] They check that the women do honest and high-quality work.^[12] They check if the women have lots of achievements related to the award.^[12] They select award recipients.

Award winners

Year	Award	Recipient
2007-2008	Young Achievers	Samantha Maria Andreas[17][18]
2009	Overall Westpac Women in Business Award	Betty Higgins[12]
	PricewaterhouseCoopers Private Sector Award	Mary Handen[19][12]
	Daltron Entrepreneur Award winner	Betty Higgins[12]
	Cardno Acil Public Sector Award	Dr. Rona Nebita Nadile[12]
	Trukai Community Responsibility Award	Tessie Soi[12]
	IBBM Young Achievers’ Award	Monica Pomat[12]
2011	Overall Westpac Women in Business Award	Sarah Haoda Todd[20]
	SP Brewery Entrepreneur Award	Sarah Haoda Todd[20]
	PricewaterHouseCoopers Private and Corporate Sector Award	Monica Toisenegila[20]
	Mineral Resource Development Co (MRDC) Public Sector Award	Naomi Faik-Simet[20]
	Young Achiever's Award	Sylvia Pascoe[20]
	Trukai Community Responsibility Award	Rosemary Vartuam Sovek[20]
2012	Overall Westpac Women in Business Award	Susil Nelson[21][22]
	Steamship Public Sector Award	Eleina Butuna[22]
	SP Brewery Entrepreneur Award	Helam Koaik[22]
	IBBM Young Achiever's Award	Naime Tom[22]
	Trukai Community Responsibility Award	Mary Pohei[22]
	PricewaterhouseCoopers Private and Corporate Sector Awards	Florence Lou Willie[22]
2013	Overall Westpac Outstanding Women Award	Maria Linibi[23]
	Steamship Public Sector Award	Dr Mobumo Kiromat[23]
	SP Brewery Entrepreneur Award	Sarah Shelley[23]
	IBBM Young Achiever's Award	Dorish Cheryl Mondo Mulas[23]
	Trukai Community Responsibility Award	Maria Linibi[23]
	PricewaterhouseCoopers Private and Corporate Sector Awards	Anthonia Apurel[23]
2014	Overall Westpac Outstanding Women Award	Lesieli Taviri[24]
	Steamship Public Sector Award	Esther Roibete Apuahe[24]
	SP Brewery Entrepreneur Award	Christina Josephine Cragnolini[24]
	IBBM Young Achiever's Award	Mazzella Maniwavie[24]
	Trukai Community Responsibility Award	Penny Sage-embo[24]
	PricewaterhouseCoopers Private and Corporate Sector Awards	Lesieli Taviri[24]
2015	Overall Westpac Outstanding Women Award	Janet Sape[25]
	Steamship Public Sector Award	Janet Sios[25]
	SP Brewery Entrepreneur Award	Joyce Kiage[25]
	IBBM Young Achiever's Award	Michelle Boyama[25]
	Trukai Community Responsibility Award	Beverly Pambali-Piawu[25]
	PricewaterhouseCoopers Private and Corporate Sector Awards	Janet Sape[25]
	Pacific Assurance Group Public Sector Award	Dr. Evelyn Lavu[25]
	Moore Printing Sport Award	Veitu Diro[25]
2016	Overall Westpac Outstanding Women Award	Bosa Togs[1]
	Steamship Public Sector Award	Dorothy Lamin Koch-Waluta[1]
	SP Brewery Entrepreneur Award	Rita Jaima Paru[1]
	IBBM Young Achiever's Award	Jacqueline Joseph[1]
	Trukai Community Responsibility Award	Annastascia Wanasawo[1]
	PricewaterhouseCoopers Private and Corporate Sector Awards	Bosa Togs[1]
	Pacific Assurance Group Public Sector Award	Dr Lutty Amos[1]
	Moore Printing Sport Award	Julienne Leka-Maliaki[1]
2017-2018	Overall Westpac Outstanding Women Award	Ruth Jewels Kissam[2]
	Precinct Public Sector Award	Mollina Mercy Kapal[2]
	SP Brewery Entrepreneur Award	Dorothy Luana[2]
	IBBM Young Achiever's Award	Crystal Kewe[2]
	Trukai Community Responsibility Award	Ruth Kissam[2]
	Steamships Not For Profit Award	Priscilla Kevin[2]
	PricewaterhouseCoopers Private and Corporate Sector Awards	Karo Lelai[2]
	Moore Printing Sport Award	Cybele Druma[2]
2019	Overall Westpac Outstanding Women Award	Raylance Mesa[3]
	ExxonMobil PNGLNG Public Sector Award	Betty Jacobs[3]
	SP Brewery Entrepreneur Award	Vani Nades[3]
	IBBM Young Achiever's Award	Raylance Mesa[3]
	Trukai Community Responsibility Award	Freda Yakio[3]
	PricewaterhouseCoopers Private and Corporate Sector Awards	Hillary Turnamur[3]
	Moore Printing Sport Award	Margaret Aka[3]
	Steamships Not For Profit Award	Petra Arfeae[3]

References

1. "WOW Awards winners for 2016". Loop PNG. 2016-10-25. Retrieved 2021-01-18.^{[permanent dead link]}
2. "Women in ICT take out Westpac Outstanding Women (WOW) Awards!". PNG ICT Meri. 2018-03-21. Retrieved 2021-01-18.
3. "12th Westpac Outstanding Women (WOW) Awards – EMTV Online". Retrieved 2021-01-18.
4. "WOW: It's on again this year". The National. 2013-06-14. Retrieved 2021-01-18.
5. Nelson-Kongoi, Susil (2017-03-01). "National Content". PNG LNG. Retrieved 2023-02-07.
6. World Economic Forum (2019). "Global Gender Gap Report 2020" (PDF). World Economic Forum.
7. "| Human Development Reports". www.hdr.undp.org. Retrieved 2021-01-17.
8. "Westpac Outstanding Women (WOW) Awards into 12th Year – EMTV Online". Retrieved 2021-01-17.
9. Davidson, Helen (2013-07-19). "Papua New Guinea: a country suffering spiralling violence". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2021-01-17.
10. Bauai, Gloria (2016-07-25). "Westpac welcomes organisations' efforts". Loop PNG. Retrieved 2023-02-07.^{[permanent dead link]}
11. "Westpac launches WOW awards for 2019". Post Courier. 2018-12-13. Retrieved 2021-01-17.
12. Kewei, Cynthia (2009-10-23). "Women shine at the 2009 Westpac Women in Business Awards" (PDF). Westpac. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2022-05-21.
13. "Bank unveils 14 women finalists for awards". The National. 2013-10-02. Retrieved 2021-01-18.
14. Spark, Ceridwen (2020). The New Port Moresby: Gender, Space, and Belonging in Urban Papua New Guinea. Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press. p. 88. ISBN 978-0824881801.
15. "Westpac announces 2015 women's awards". The National. 2015-07-27. Retrieved 2021-01-17.
16. "Westpac Outstanding Women Awards". www.facebook.com. Retrieved 2021-01-18.
17. Ok Tedi Mining (2008). "Annual Review 2008" (PDF). Ok Tedi Mining. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2021-01-22.
18. UK in the South Pacific (2019-08-15). "Congratulations Ms. Samantha Maria Andreas, on your #Chevening scholarship". Facebook.
19. "Mother inspires daughters". The National. 2015-09-23. Retrieved 2021-01-17.
20. "Westpac names winners of WIB awards". The National. 2011-10-20. Retrieved 2021-01-18.
21. "Express Niugini: Westpac honours PNG women". Express Niugini. 2012-10-19. Retrieved 2021-01-18.
22. "Nelson wins Westpac WiB award". The National. 2012-10-17. Retrieved 2021-01-18.
23. "Women's agro rep wins WOW award". The National. 2013-10-18. Retrieved 2021-01-18.
24. "People moves: Virgin Australia, Departments of Treasury and Justice, Outstanding Women Awards". Business Advantage PNG. 2014-10-29. Retrieved 2021-01-18.
25. "2015 Westpac Outstanding Wowen Awards – EMTV Online". Retrieved 2021-01-18.