Departments
SIL-PNG is a diverse community of people from around the world working together to benefit Papua New Guinea through language development and Bible translation. Doing and supporting this work requires a wide range of skills and over 400 people. About half of our in-country team are Papua New Guineans. The other half come from around 20 other countries. Whatever your area of expertise, we may have a place where you can serve or partner. Learn more about our departments on this page. If you are interested in how you can work or partner together, CONTACT US.
Infrastructure Services
Administration: We provide management, financial services, human resources, security, and other services for SIL-PNG, Ukarumpa Centre, and the Regional Centres. The administration is a diverse team with a wide range of positions for both expatriates and PNG citizens.
Auto Shop: This department supports SIL-PNG vehicles and also offers some services to the wider Aiyura Valley. Primary services include automotive, motorcycle, and small engine repair and maintenance as well as welding, fabrication, and some machine work. We also provide fuel and parts sales, 4WD training, vehicle rescues, and a loaner fleet for subscribing personnel.
Aviation: With over 50 years experience in Papua New Guinea, this department provides safe, reliable, and affordable air transportation services in a courteous and helpful manner. These services are essential to Bible translation activities, community development, and commercial activities. Centrally located in the Eastern Highlands Province, our mixed fleet of helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft provides the flexibility to reach practically every corner of PNG. For more information on how you can access our aviation services, CLICK HERE.
CAM: CAM is the Construction And Maintenance department. Our mission is to support the work of SIL in Papua New Guinea by providing a variety of design and construction services at Ukarumpa, regional centres and village team allocation sites. The primary services offered by CAM are:
building/centre maintenance
operation and maintenance of centre generators and the Ukarumpa power grid
plumbing and water system services, construction services and project management
manufacture of furniture, cabinetry and dimensioned lumber
retail sales of building and electrical supplies, hardware and tools.
We invest in our people, and training and development is an important part of what we do.
Clinic: This department has two sections. The SIL Health Clinic provides a wide range of medical services to the Ukarumpa community including emergency care, dental services, physiotherapy, optometry services, and a pharmacy.
The Ukarumpa Health Center (UHC) is a government subsidised clinic for PNG citizens. Patients are seen Monday-Friday from 8:30-5:00 on a first come, first served basis, although those who are critically sick are given priority. UHC patients have access to the SIL Health Clinic’s medical testing resources. UHC is staffed by PNG staff who have been trained and licensed in PNG.
CTS: This department provides a variety of technology-related support services, including:
direct support for computer hardware and software for our translators and departments
management of local servers and switches, our internet links, and satellite and radio communications with remote locations
fixing radio equipment, computers and appliances, and sale of solar and radio equipment
creating and maintaining the custom software we rely on for operations here in PNG, and managing corporate software
Guesthouse: We want the Ukarumpa Guesthouse to be a home away from home! This department provides short-term stays marked by hospitality in a clean, friendly, and peaceful environment for those in transit. A light, self-serve breakfast is provided as well as lunch and dinner upon request.
Regional Centres: We operate regional centres (RCs) in Alotau, Wewak, Lae, Kavieng, and Port Moresby. These centres offer a wide range of services including short-term accommodations, training space, airport shuttles, and more for SIL and our partners. Alotau, Wewak, and Lae RCs also provide some services to the public. Contact them for more information here:
Alotau RC: Alotau-Centre-Office_png@sil.org; 641-1151, 7307-7380
Wewak RC: RC-Wewak_png@sil.org; 7149-4901, 7238-3946
Lae RC: Lae-Guesthouse_png@sil.org; 472-2939, 7250-5479
Staff Care: This department is a Christ-centred, care-giving ministry for our SIL-PNG community. We provide resources for spiritual, physical, emotional, and relational health.
Store: Located in Ukarumpa, our goal is to further the work of SIL in Papua New Guinea by providing customers with the necessary supplies to live and work in Ukarumpa or remotely in a village. We offer a selection of dried and canned goods, dairy and meat products, as well as a small selection of general household supplies. We are open to the public and welcome your visit!
Ukarumpa International School (UIS): Located on the SIL-PNG centre at Ukarumpa, UIS is an accredited international school that provides education from a biblical perspective and aims to prepare students to be successful in all aspects of life. We serve students in preschool through Grade 12 and also host a daycare on our Primary Campus. UIS students include children of expatriate missionaries, children of citizen staff, and children of commercial clients.
We offer all core academics including English/Language Arts, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies, and Religious Studies as well as Computers and Technology, Physical Education and Health, Music (including Band and Choir), and other electives such as cooking, wood and metal shop, yearbook, and digital photography as teachers are available. Co-curricular activities include competitive sports for boys and girls and theatre. All instruction is in English.
The UIS school year starts in late July and ends in early June. Applications for admission are accepted twice per year: 1 March to 1 April for possible admission in July (the start of the school year) and 1 September to 1 October for possible admission in January (mid-year).
Check out the UIS website for more information, or contact the school director.
Language Services
Anthropology: Our vision is to value other cultures and enable others to do so as well. The Anthropology Section trains partners and SIL-PNG staff in ethnographic and anthropological principles.
As God's creation, people are amazingly creative and innovative, holding on to what is important to them, exploring new ways to live in their contexts, and striving to pass on what they have learned to those around them. The focus of Anthropology is people – what they do, say, and value. We provide a variety of qualitative tools to listen respectfully to people's stories to enable us to understand what makes life worth living. This fosters a way of thinking about culture that is based on listening deeply and respectfully to those we encounter.
Education for Life (EFL): This section supports literacy and education in Papua New Guinea by producing educational books and Bible stories in print and for use on smartphones and tablets. Our goal is to level the playing field for all children in Papua New Guinea, no matter what language they speak, so we encourage written and audio translations of these books into local languages. We also develop and provide solar projector kits to facilitate learning in remote areas across PNG. Find out more at www.mytalkingbooks.org.
Language Survey: Our Language Survey teams travel among Papua New Guinea's 840 languages to discover and document their social and linguistic characteristics: multilingualism, dialects, etc.
Participatory research activities increase self-awareness in communities, enabling them to make informed plans for the future of their languages. Survey reports provide service organisations with opportunities to partner with these communities. In addition to research trips and report writing, we share survey reports and linguistic data, contribute to the Ethnologue, and create PNG language maps.
Linguistics: Linguistics is the study of language and its structure, including the study of grammar, syntax, and phonetics. This section encourages and promotes solid linguistics as a foundation for quality translation in a variety of ways including consulting, research, education, providing tools and resources, and serving as a link to the global linguistic community.
Literacy & Education: This section provides resources, consulting, and training for vernacular literacy and education activities in PNG. These activities are an essential foundation for the work of Bible translation, Bible use, and further education in English.
Print Shop: This department provides cost-effective and high-quality pre-press, printing, and binding services to SIL-PNG, its partners, and commercial customers. Email our department manager for more information or with print inquiries.
Publications: This department provides specialists and resources to assist in the creation, printing, and distribution of vernacular publications on various platforms and in different formats.
Scripture Access: This department partners with translation programs, language communities, and local churches to assess needs, develop strategic plans, and facilitate training to equip Papua New Guineans to apply God's Word in all aspects of their lives. Services include providing consulting, resourcing, workshops, training, and seminars all across PNG. We run a variety of workshops, including Culture Meets Scripture, Healing the Wounds of Trauma, SALT (Scripture Application and Leadership Training), Sunday School Teacher Training, Tok Ples in Ministry, and songwriting workshops.
Scripture Media: This section partners with communities to create high-quality audio recordings of Scripture in their own languages. We make recordings both in Ukarumpa and in villages across PNG and do post processing at our recording studio in Ukarumpa. In partnership with Faith Comes By Hearing, we also produce audio recordings of dramatised Scripture portions. Providing training and technical audio support for language teams are key elements of our work.
Training Centre: Our purpose is to provide Papua New Guineans, as well as individuals from across the Pacific region, with the essential skills needed to pursue language research, language development, and translation. Our curriculum encompasses a spectrum of disciplines including linguistics, translation principles, cutting-edge translation software, literacy promotion, multilingual education, and various facets of anthropology. For those with a focus on Bible translation, specialised training is available in biblical studies, exegesis, and proficiency in biblical languages.
Our primary training facility is located in Ukarumpa, in the Eastern Highlands Province near Kainantu. The Ukarumpa Training Centre can accommodate up to 100 trainees, providing comfortable living quarters, dining facilities, and well-equipped classrooms in a secure environment. Reliable access to internet and power further enhances the learning experience. Flexible options exist for training, both within SIL's regional centres and local community settings, accommodating diverse educational backgrounds, and varying language proficiencies.
In addition to the training offered by SIL-PNG and PNGBTA, the Ukarumpa Training Centre can be rented for conferences, retreats, and training events. Accessible via an airstrip and road connections from Kainantu, the Training Centre is positioned to foster collaborative and enriching experiences.
For those intrigued and inspired by our mission, we invite you to reach out for more information and to explore the possibilities. Email us to connect and embark on a journey that celebrates linguistic diversity, fosters cultural understanding, and transforms lives through the power of language.
Translation: This section aims to assist local language communities to produce a meaningful, idiomatic, clear, and accurate translation of Scripture and other desired materials. A significant aspect of this activity is working with other sections to develop local expertise in the various disciplines required to produce a translation, enabling greater development and educational opportunities. In addition, we train experienced advisors and translators as consultants to assist other translation teams as they work through the translation process.
