Transforming Lives in One of the World’s Most Isolated Communities
In July 2024, the Collective Empowerment Foundation (CEF) embarked on a remarkable and deeply meaningful journey to Hupen Village, a small community tucked away in the dense, mountainous interior of Papua New Guinea’s Western Province. This operation was more than CEF’s inaugural expedition—it was the embodiment of our mission: to empower the world’s most isolated communities with ethical, culturally sensitive, and community-led development.
Together with local volunteers, and under the leadership of Mazzo and Kai, CEF’s team hiked for hours through thick rainforest to reach a village that had, until that moment, never seen electricity, modern medical equipment, or internet access.
But this story is not about what we brought—it’s about how we brought it, why we brought it, and how we worked in full partnership with the people of Hupen to ensure their voices, priorities, and values were respected at every step.
Remote Beyond Imagination
Hupen is a small and proud community of just over 40 people, located far beyond the reach of conventional infrastructure. Set deep in rainforest-covered mountains, Hupen has no airstrip, no road access, and no connection to the power grid or mobile phone towers.
For generations, the villagers of Hupen have relied on their surrounding environment for everything—food, medicine, shelter, and healing. They cook using firewood gathered from the forest. They use traditional bush medicine to treat injuries and illness. They know the land, the weather, and the plants like a map, passed down by generations before them.
Before CEF’s arrival, development had never reached Hupen. No aid programs, no government services, no outside intervention. This was not due to neglect or disinterest—it was because Hupen is incredibly hard to reach. Getting there involved a four-hour trek by foot, navigating river crossings, vertical hillsides, and the ever-changing terrain of a rainforest that receives over 6,000 mm of rainfall annually.
When we arrived, it was not with fanfare or disruption. It was with humility, listening, and open hands.
Starting with Respect: Listening to the Community
CEF’s first act in Hupen was not to install anything, deliver gear, or begin assessments. It was to sit and listen.
We worked closely with Paul, the respected Ward Leader for both Smipen and Hupen, who had already informed his community of our arrival. With his guidance, we were welcomed with generosity and cautious curiosity. As guests, we were careful not to assume what was needed or wanted. We spent time with village elders, mothers, and youth, learning about the realities they faced, the priorities they held, and the traditions they wished to preserve.
It became clear that while Hupen’s people are extraordinarily self-reliant, they faced growing risks and limitations that traditional knowledge alone could not always resolve. Lack of clean water sources during dry periods, a lack of basic medical care, and the total absence of light after sunset were frequent concerns. With unanimous agreement, the community welcomed CEF’s support—with the clear understanding that everything introduced would remain in their control, used how and when they chose.
The CEF Formula: Community-Led, Sustainable Empowerment
Our work in Hupen followed CEF’s “Formula for Empowerment,” a tailored framework that prioritises sustainable, community-driven development. Rather than apply one-size-fits-all solutions, the formula adapts to the needs of each village, ensuring that every project aligns with local customs, values, and environmental conditions.
For Hupen, the priority areas identified were:
• Solar-powered electricity
• Clean drinking water
• Basic medical supplies and training
• Tools to support traditional agriculture and fishing
• Access to educational materials for children
• A simple internet system for communication and emergency response
Each component was discussed, explained, and accepted by the community before being introduced. Consent wasn’t just a formality—it was a core principle of our presence.
Introducing Electricity—The First Light in Generations
Until CEF’s arrival, Hupen’s nights were illuminated only by fire. The darkness brought challenges—not only in safety and mobility but also in health, childcare, and productivity. After extensive discussion with village leaders, we installed a solar-powered electricity station, equipped with long-life batteries and lighting systems designed to operate with zero maintenance for over 10 years.
This station now powers communal spaces and charges solar torches distributed to households. For the first time, children can read or draw after dark, mothers can prepare meals safely, and community members can move through the village without fear of falling or encountering wildlife.
The impact of even a single reliable light source in a remote village like Hupen is profound. But the technology, as always, was only introduced after consent and training. Each adult was taught how to care for the batteries, clean the panels, and store devices securely.
A Responsible Introduction to Internet Access
Perhaps the most sensitive component of the Hupen Initiative was the installation of a Starlink satellite internet station. Recognizing that Hupen had never interacted with digital tools or internet platforms before, CEF approached this component with exceptional care and ethical deliberation.
We made it clear: Internet was not a requirement. It was an option.
With the village’s full agreement, we introduced a limited-use, community-controlled system, connected via satellite and powered by solar. Its purpose is not entertainment or consumer access. It is:
• A tool for contacting the outside world in an emergency
• A means for accessing educational and health information
• A platform for communicating with government services or distant family
The internet system remains under local management. Usage is monitored by community leaders, and no one is obligated to use it. It exists only if—and when—the community wants it.
This is what ethical digital inclusion looks like: slow, respectful, and entirely community-led.
Water and Health: Addressing Critical Vulnerabilities
Access to clean water is a basic human right—but in Hupen, it had never been a reality. Families collected water from surface sources exposed to animal waste, runoff, and debris. Illness caused by contaminated water was common, especially during the rainy season.
CEF delivered long-lasting LifeStraw filtration systems to every household, along with hands-on demonstrations and multi-lingual guides. These devices require no electricity, no chemicals, and minimal maintenance—perfectly suited to Hupen’s conditions.
We also supplied medical kits, including antiseptics, bandages, antimalarials, oral rehydration salts, and fever reducers. But we didn’t just drop them off—we conducted training sessions in basic first aid, explaining how to clean wounds, reduce fevers, and identify danger signs in children.
All training was delivered in Tok Pisin, using visuals and interactive demonstrations to ensure that everyone—regardless of literacy level—understood how to use each item safely and confidently.
Supporting Traditional Livelihoods with Practical Tools
Hupen’s people are skilled subsistence farmers and hunters, deeply connected to the land. Our role was not to change their way of life—it was to support and lighten their workload.
We provided:
• High-yield seed varieties suitable for the local environment
• Fishing gear including hooks, nets, and lines
• Basic gardening tools like machetes and digging tools
• A small flock of chickens to initiate a village-scale poultry coop
These were not business ventures. There were no conditions, no commercial targets. These were tools—nothing more, nothing less—provided to a community that knows how to use them, but had lacked access.
Education Begins with Access
Like many remote villages in Papua New Guinea, Hupen has no formal school. But that doesn’t mean the desire to learn is absent. In fact, one of the clearest requests from village elders was for books, pens, and reading materials for children.
CEF delivered age-appropriate textbooks, activity booklets, and illustrated learning materials in Tok Pisin and English. These were stored in a central, shaded space where families could access them freely.
A small tablet preloaded with offline educational content was introduced carefully, and only after extensive discussion with the community. The children of Hupen now have the opportunity to engage with stories, songs, and games designed to promote literacy, curiosity, and joy.
Real Stories, Real Change
What happened in the weeks that followed was extraordinary.
One child, previously afraid of the dark, now carries a small solar torch with pride. A grandmother who had never touched a medical kit used an antiseptic wipe to clean a wound on her grandson’s leg. A youth leader typed a message to a nearby ward council for the first time.
And above all, a community once thought too remote to reach was able to say, “We are seen. We are remembered. We are not alone.”
Transparency in Every Step
CEF’s commitment to transparency does not end when we leave the village. It begins long before we arrive, and it continues long after we depart.
We track and publish:
• Full budget breakdowns
• Maps and satellite pins of project locations
• Photographs (with consent) of delivery milestones
• Testimonials from local leaders
The full Hupen Village Impact Report will be released in mid-2025, including itemised data, outcomes, and next steps for support and monitoring.
A Model for Ethical Development
The Hupen Initiative proves that development can be done differently. It can be ethical. It can be collaborative. It can be consensual, gentle, and tailored.
This project will serve as a model for CEF’s future work—showing that even in the world’s most isolated places, empowerment is possible when done with care, respect, and trust.
Hupen has changed. But not because it was told to. Because it chose to—on its own terms, in its own time, with its own voice leading the way.
🌍 For more information, view the full infographic below or contact the CEF team to get involved.
