Freda Pake

Child Nutrition and Social Protection Consultant / Early Childhood Development Fellow, The World Bank, Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea
Master of Public Health with Honours (First Class)
Graduate Diploma in Health Science

She is proud to have been chosen to represent Papua New Guinea in the World Bank’s Early Childhood Development Fellowship programme, says public health alumna Freda Pake.

“In late 2022, I received a dual offer from the World Bank to work as a child nutrition and social protection consultant and early childhood development fellow for Papua New Guinea. The interview process for the fellowship was rigorous and competitive, with 2,500 applicants from developing countries. The fellowship programme is for two years, and includes 13 fellows from other developing countries. I was fortunate to be awarded the position as the early childhood development fellow for Papua New Guinea; the first time for a PNG fellow to be in the cohort.”

Splitting her time between working on the child nutrition and social protection project and the fellowship programme is certainly keeping Freda busy.

“In Papua New Guinea, 46% of children under five are stunted, and the child nutrition and social protection project aims to improve access to priority nutrition interventions and improve purchasing power of households in selected districts in four provinces of Papua New Guinea. I provide technical support, and enjoy attending high-level meetings with government departments and ministers. I feel satisfied when I can give advice on the best nutrition interventions for rural communities.

“Around twenty percent of my time I spend on the fellowship programme, attending webinars, enrolling in childcare courses, and engaging with the other fellows and external mentors who are professors and experts on childcare research.”

Memories of New Zealand
Before Freda returned to Papua New Guinea in 2021, she spent almost four years in New Zealand, studying AUT’s Graduate Diploma in Health Science, followed by a Master of Public Health. Her studies were supported by a Manaaki New Zealand Scholarship.

“My academic journey at AUT was long. To get to do the Master of Public Health, I had to meet certain requirements in every course I undertook and had to achieve a high GPA. For my master’s degree research, I did a systematic review and narrative analysis, focusing on barriers and facilitators of Pacific women accessing cervical cancer screening. I successfully completed my master’s degree in 2021 with honours first class.

“It was challenging at times, but the AUT scholarships team was able to provide the best support to help me complete my studies. When I reflect on my academic journey, every milestone had different challenges, but these were all experiences that shaped me to be better academically and professionally.”

There is one memory of her time in New Zealand that particularly stands out.

“For me, the most memorable time was a scholarship trip to Taupo where I had the chance to see the real New Zealand countryside life. I really enjoyed meeting other scholars and learn about their experience in New Zealand. I also still remember the Pacific food we had, especially the creamed coconut milk taro and the roast pork.”

Advice for other students
Freda has some great advice for other students interested in a career in public health.

“My advice to other Master of Public Health students would be to make use of the privileges offered at AUT by enrolling in the workshops offered by AUT’s Employability and Careers team, including workshops on how to develop an outstanding CV and how to present yourself in an interview. Then start sending out your CV and letter of interest through your connections.”

She also has some tips to help with job hunting.

“If you’re looking for a job, be patient. Remember that if one door closes, another one opens. Never quit applying. If you’re interested in working with NGOs, register your updated CV on the websites for international NGOs. Always browse through the type of programmes offered by the different NGOs and check their objectives, so that you can align your CV with their information.

“Communicate frequently with your peers who are already attached to a job as this may open doors to other job opportunities for you. Start somewhere small or engage in volunteering roles if you can’t find the right job quickly.”