Retirement goes beyond putting up a grand party or giving gifts to retirees for their loyal service to an organisation or a company.
Organisations and companies lose experienced and skilled workers through retirement.
Last December saw National Capital District Commission (NCDC) farewelled six officers who have bowed out of its public service structure due to compulsory retirement and medical ground.
One of them who was prominently featured on its 2020 compulsory retirement list is community development officer for Moresby North-West, Kay Ma’a.
The mother of six is of Gulf and Central parentage. Most of the time, she is always mistaken as someone from Hula in Central. Her children compose of adopted, fostered and biological ones.
Joining the Commission on March 03, 1997, she has clocked 23 years serving NCD Gender Desk and, Family and Sexual Violence Action Committee. She started work as a business development officer. Because of her passion, compassion and commitment in the gender space, she upskilled herself into a work she loves and does as hobby.
Previously, young Ma’a was working in Western province’s Daru, New Ireland province and Goroka in Eastern Highlands province in the 1970s.
She said she was grateful that NCDC is the best employer who looks after her and family well, urging fellow workers to give the best service to the commission in return.
Among the benefits, she said, she was given a land title under its give-away home ownership scheme, NCDC used to assist her with school fee advances and sponsored her for a Degree in Social Works from the University of Papua New Guinea. Additionally, she was treated to overseas exposure in which she was acquiring job-related trainings for five weeks in Fiji Women Crisis Centre.
Asked what was she intending to do with her experience, knowledge and skills acquired, she said she was eyeing an establishment of a crisis centre or a refuge home for victims of Gender-based Violence and orphans.
She said she faced a lot of challenges whilst discharging her duties and responsibilities, adding insufficient financial support and, many boys and men were not educated about GBV.
She remembers a bad incident in her life whilst intervening to save a victim of GBV.
After a family outing, her client’s husband belted her up following a quarrel at Hohola around 10pm, she recalled, saying duty police officers were not cooperating to arrest the perpetrator.
She accounted when the tension between members of PNGDF and Police was very high, her eldest son drove them all the way to Boroko Police Station to lodge formal complaint.
When they went to his house at Tokarara with police to make arrest during the middle of the night, he escaped already, she said.
There is another odd experience she shared. When she intervened to assist another victim at Golden Ridge in Five-Mile, she was held up with her driver and had all their possessions stolen.
Ma’a said these experiences did not discourage her from doing her job, adding they only made her strong and brave.
She has dedicated nearly half of her lifetime in this work.
Also asked whether she has observed any progress in the GBV space, she said now men and boys are becoming aware of the issue so they help in referral pathways unlike before.
She proudly said with a gingerly smile that her dedication and commitment did not go to waste because her work in small ways is jointly contributing to bigger outcomes in the space.
As she is transiting in life, she is looking forward to building her new home at Morata 2 where NCDC housing project site is located.
Her new home will cater for the crisis centre.
Ma’a will put her experience, knowledge and skills to good use so she continues serving the people in her retirement.
She commended NCDC management and the board for preparing them well to face the new life.
