A BEACON OF HOPE
Project Two Mile takes its name from a settlement in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea (PNG), known for the hardship many of its residents face. The initiative has one clear purpose, to economically and purposefully uplift the lives of marginalised women by giving their artwork and craft a platform on the world stage.
It began in 2020 with small steps and big dreams, when Australian based, PNG native Maggie T Kera started selling Bilum bags online through Etsy. The vibrant colours, bold patterns and rich cultural heritage of the weavers' work quickly found an appreciative audience.
Launched as Bilums and Baskets, the project sharpened its purpose in 2023, to support urban weavers from Port Moresby's informal settlements with fair, dignified work. Project Two Mile was born. The range has since grown to include natural fibre and vintage pieces from the Central, East Sepik and Western Provinces and the Highlands, but its heart remains the heritage and recycled bilum ranges woven in the settlements.
From a collective of five women, Project Two Mile now supports over 100 weavers, teaching the craft to any woman who wants to learn. We supply the materials, pay local market value for every piece, and never haggle on price.
As a Queensland Social Enterprise Council member and World Craft Council South Pacific Region Award of Excellence winner, Project Two Mile is in this for the long game, weighing every decision against what it means for the weavers who make it possible.
Word has spread. Bespoke orders and growing international interest have brought more weavers into the project, with Maggie working closely with clients and weavers to keep every piece to the highest standard.
LIFE IN A SQUATTER SETTLEMENT
Leaving rural homes in search of a better life, many families arrive in Port Moresby unable to afford the city's inflated living costs. Squatter settlements become their only option, often without access to water, health care or education. Safety is also a major concern there, especially for women, frequently victims of physical, emotional and sexual violence.
Gender inequality is a critical issue in PNG, where gender based violence has reached epidemic levels and women and girls face barriers to skills, opportunities and resources. Project Two Mile gives women a path to economic independence through cultural craft, uplifting their lives while keeping the ancient technique of weaving alive.
THE DREAM
While still in its early years, Project Two Mile is steadily working toward a dream, a creative space in the suburbs surrounding Port Moresby's squatter settlements. It's a confronting picture. Papua New Guinea ranks 160 out of 161 countries on the 2021 United Nations Gender Inequality Index, and 37% of its people live below the poverty line, with women and children hit hardest. This space would give female weavers somewhere to share ideas, earn an income, find refuge and build community.
The United Nations reports that over two thirds of PNG women have experienced physical or sexual assault, more than double the global average, and that a woman's own community and female kinship often respond more effectively than formal systems like police and healthcare workers. The creative space aims to offer that same first line of support, while also building a bridge to further help such as courts, safe houses, family support centres and NGOs.
Our vision is a space where female weavers can live to their full potential, earning a fair wage and safe from domestic and sexual violence, where women and their children are supported to thrive. Every bilum bag sold brings that dream a little closer to reality.
ANCIENT CRAFT FOR A MODERN WORLD
We have come a long way in a short time, but there is still work to do. Producing a cultural craft that holds its own internationally, amid so much daily challenge in these women's lives, is no small task. Our bags now sit in designer boutiques and department stores worldwide, and quality of materials and finish keeps customers coming back. We run quality checks throughout, building the weavers' skills so we can compete internationally.
We advise on colour and materials to suit trends, but every design stays entirely the weavers' own, and watching what each woman creates, no two bags ever the same, is one of the real joys of Bilum weaving. These bags carry the stories of the women who wove them, passed down through generations, each hand, pattern, colour and shape their own. We are always finding new ways to bring this cultural craft into the modern world.
