Written by Barbara Thomas

It’s taken me some time to write a follow-up reflection after my last two pieces on LinkedIn, “Power & Decolonisation: Rethinking How We See Change” and “Seeing the Whole Picture: How Young People in PNG Navigate Power & Systems”. Both articles explored how change is shaped by context, power, and the systems we work within. This reflection continues that line of thought, but from a different angle: the relationship between strong institutions and strong people, and why this matters for Papua New Guinea’s long-term development. I have been reflecting on this theme over the past month, so decided to pen my reflections.

In the development space, we often talk about the balance between structure and agency. Structures are the systems, norms, governance processes, and organisational foundations that shape how work gets done. Agency is the human side, the decisions, creativity, values, and courage that individuals bring into these spaces. Neither can deliver transformation alone. Systems without empowered people become rigid. Empowered people without supportive systems become burnt out & exhausted. Real change happens when the two reinforce one another.

For local PNG-led organisations, this balance is becoming increasingly important. If we want to lead our own development trajectory, we must continue strengthening our institutional foundations, governance systems, finance, MEL, leadership pipelines, and cultures of learning and accountability. These structures provide the clarity and stability needed for people to act with confidence and purpose. Equally, it is the commitment and ingenuity of PNG professionals that make these systems meaningful and grounded in our context. The challenge, of course, is ensuring that our organisations have the funding models and support necessary to strengthen both levels at the same time.

There are important implications for GoPNG, donors & their managing contractors, and international partners. Supporting development in PNG is not only about activities and outputs; it is fundamentally about investing in the institutional capabilities that sustain change long after external support ends. This means designing programs that build systems, not just deliver services; creating space for local leadership, not substituting it; and recognising that meaningful progress requires patient, collaborative, and context-driven approaches. When external partners strengthen institutions and support the people within them, they help lay the foundations for long-term resilience.

Transformative change in PNG will not come from structures alone, nor from individuals pushing uphill in isolation. It will come from the interplay between the two, institutions strong enough to hold the long game, and people empowered sufficient to drive it.