Pis na Saksak · Manus Cooperative Society

At a glance

One cooperative family for all of Manus

The Society covers the whole province. Every ward has a place at the table.

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Local Level Governments

An LLG Processing Cooperative in each

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Ward Cooperatives

Families who farm and fish

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Connected tiers

Ward, LLG and Apex working as one

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Export streams

From copra to coastal finfish

01 · Our story

Our name comes from the family table

In Manus culture, aunts and mothers hold a place of deep respect. When they have something important to share, they call the family together with one simple invitation: “Come kaikai liklik Pis na Saksak.” Come and eat a little fish and sago.

To sit and eat together is an invitation built on trust, care and community. It is not one you refuse, because someone who loves you has something to offer.

The Society carries that same gesture into the economy. It calls the people of Manus to the table and says: we have found a way to markets, to income and to opportunity. Come, let us show you the path.

“Like fish and sago: shared with care, eaten together.”

Manus Pis Na Saksak Cooperative Society

PIS The fish

Nourishment, food security and the bounty of the Manus Sea.

NA And · together

Unity across all 131 Ward Cooperatives and every tribal group.

SAKSAK The sago palm

Sustenance, the staple of Manus life, and the land that feeds us.

Watch

See Pis na Saksak in action

A short video on who we are and how the cooperative works.

Pis na Saksak Cooperative Society

A Manus economy owned by Manus families

Our vision

Manus Province will reach economic independence through a digitally connected, ESG-compliant cooperative network that empowers every tribal citizen and family.

Our mission

To bring tribal cooperatives, provincial authorities and ESG-aligned partners onto one platform for sustainable production, open governance and shared prosperity for all Manus families.

Planet

Sustainable

We protect the land and sea that sustain us. Every money decision is weighed against its effect on nature and on people.

People

Inclusive

No village left behind. All 131 wards, all tribal groups, women and men: the table is always large enough.

Prosperity

Transparent

Open books and open governance. Our digital systems let every member see where resources go and how decisions are made.

03 · How it works

The path from the ward to the buyer

Three tiers work as one system. Goods move up to the market. Value comes back down to the families who grew and caught them.

131

Tier 3

Ward Farming Cooperatives

Farming and fishing
Digital literacy training
Starlink internet in the ward

12

Tier 2

LLG Processing Cooperatives

Grading and drying
Processing and packing
Wholesale distribution

1

Tier 1

The Apex Society

Exporter and trustee
Export licences and markets
Manus Unit Trust Fund
Training for all tiers

Market

Buyers in PNG and overseas

Goods moving to market Value returning to families

1. You farm or fishYour Ward Cooperative collects copra, vanilla, cacao, sea cucumber and fish from members.

2. The LLG adds valueThe LLG Processing Cooperative grades, dries, processes and packs it.

3. The Apex finds the buyerThe Apex holds the export licences and sells to buyers in PNG and overseas.

4. Value comes homeIncome returns to members, and the Unit Trust Fund grows wealth for the next generation.

Illustration of the three-tier ESG cooperative model: Tier 1 unit trust fund and governance, Tier 2 LLG processing cooperatives, Tier 3 ward farming cooperatives, all linked by Starlink. — Illustration · The three-tier ESG cooperative model with Starlink connectivity

04 · What we export

Five export streams from Manus land and sea

Each product has its own regulator in Papua New Guinea. The Apex handles the licences, so a ward does not have to.

Copra and coconut

White copra and higher-value products such as virgin coconut oil, desiccated coconut and coconut cream.

RegulatorKokonas Indastri Koporesen (KIK)

Vanilla

Cured, dried and graded to international standards. PNG supplies about a tenth of the world’s vanilla.

RegulatorPNG Spice Industry Board · DAL

Cacao

Fermented and dried cocoa beans from ward gardens, graded at LLG centres.

RegulatorCocoa Board of PNG

Sea cucumber

Harvested within national management rules. This trade is reserved for citizen-owned businesses.

RegulatorNational Fisheries Authority (NFA)

Coastal finfish

Fresh reef and coastal fish handled under HACCP food-safety rules, which are compulsory.

RegulatorNational Fisheries Authority (NFA)

Two layers of licensing

Every export from Papua New Guinea needs two layers of approval. The foundation steps come first. Then each product gets its own licence from its regulator.

Copra focus: KIK is phasing out black copra export licences. Our focus is white copra and higher-value coconut products, where Manus has untapped export capacity.

IPA registrationInvestment Promotion Authority. Confirms the Society as a citizen enterprise.
Tax identification numberInternal Revenue Commission. Needed to receive export payments.
Customs exporter registrationPNG Customs Service, with a licensed customs agent for each shipment.
Quarantine clearanceNAQIA certificate for each shipment of copra, vanilla and cacao. Fish use NFA health certificates.
Commodity licenceFrom KIK, the Spice Industry Board, the Cocoa Board or the NFA, depending on the product.

05 · Digital backbone

Starlink brings the market price to the ward

Distance should not decide who gets a fair price. Satellite internet links every ward, every LLG centre and the Apex. The decision stays with the ward.

Starlink satellite internet

Live market prices, training and reporting for all 131 Ward Cooperatives, however remote.

Membership MIS

Member registration, cooperative records and online training across all three tiers.

Online Shop MIS

Wholesale and retail sales, loyalty rebates and online selling of Manus products.

Unit Trust Fund MIS

Unit purchases, redemptions, buy-backs and payouts, shown clearly to every member.

Tamper-proof records

Blockchain-backed audit trails keep records that cannot be quietly changed, ready for regulators.

06 · ESG framework

People, Planet and Prosperity

Our constitution makes ESG a binding duty, not just a hope. Every tier, from a single catch in a ward to an export contract, is measured against it.

E

Environmental

Protect marine life, support blue-carbon and climate-resilient practice, and farm and fish in ways that keep the land and sea healthy.

S

Social

Tribal ownership, digital inclusion and fair participation, with food and income security for every Manus family.

G

Governance

Open fund management through the Unit Trust Fund, regulator-ready reports and digital monitoring across all tiers.

07 · Manus Unit Trust Fund

Wealth that stays in the family

The Manus Unit Trust Fund (UTF) helps members build savings that grow for their children and grandchildren.

Money comes from member contributions and a loyalty programme on fuel, wholesale and retail purchases.

The Society is the legal trustee and must act in the best interests of members.

Unit prices, values and payouts are worked out openly and reported to members.

Allowed investments

Licensed banks
PNG Government securities
Approved managed funds
Approved shares and land

Never allowed

Cryptocurrency
Gambling
Speculative trading
Get-rich-quick schemes

Start

Grow

Share

Pass on

Today5 years10 yearsNext generation

Illustration only. It shows the idea of long-term growth, not a forecast or a promise of returns.

08 · Governed in the open

Rules that protect every member

Our constitution (refined draft v2.0, now under legal review) sets clear rules for how the Society is run and how members’ money is kept safe.

One member, one vote

Every member has an equal voice at general meetings, whatever the size of their shareholding.

Protected foundations

The three-tier structure and the Unit Trust Fund are entrenched rules. They cannot be changed easily.

Power at the lowest level

Each Ward and LLG cooperative runs its own affairs. Decisions are made as close to the community as possible.

Conflicts declared

Directors and officers must declare personal interests. No investment may go to a business they secretly hold.

Audit and fair buying

Independent audit, risk oversight and clear procurement rules guard the Society’s assets.

Cooperative principles

We follow the seven principles of the International Co-operative Alliance, including concern for community.

09 · Leadership

Interim Caretaker Executive Committee

They guide registration, banking, digital systems and early partnerships until the first Annual General Meeting elects the Board.

MN

Mark Nolih

Chairperson

Leads the Committee and represents the Society during the set-up phase.

JM

John Mahuk

Business Relations

Builds commercial partnerships and export relationships.

WW

Wesley Waiwai

Financial Technology & Strategic Planning

Designs the Unit Trust Fund, capital raising and fintech systems.

ME

Marina Elisah

Legal Advisor

Advises on registration, the constitution, contracts and regulation.

JE

Joe Elisah

Committee · Business

Supports business planning and day-to-day cooperative operations.

CS

Chris Sapak

Committee · Social

Champions community engagement and the Social pillar of ESG.

NS

Ngenge Sasa

Community Relations

Works with Ward Cooperatives, tribal leaders and LLG representatives.

JN

John Ngih

Software Technologist

Leads the Membership, Online Shop and Unit Trust Fund systems.

MK

Mellah Kilangit

Communications & Digital Media

Manages communications, the brand, social media and digital content.

All interim members hold office until the inaugural Annual General Meeting.

10 · Our journey

Where we are, and what comes next

6 May 2026

Registered

Incorporated as Manus Pis Na Saksak Inc Co-operative Society Ltd, COSO No. 14141, under the Co-operative Societies (Amended) Act 1985.

15 May 2026

Concept brief

The Executive Concept Brief sets out the three-tier ESG model and its digital systems.

26 June 2026

Membership fees set

Committee Meeting 5/2026 agrees the individual and organisation membership fees.

2026

Constitution v2.0

A refined constitution is drafted and sent for legal review.

The Society plans to complete IPA, tax and customs registration, then apply for commodity licences.

Members will elect the permanent Board, taking over from the interim Committee.

11 · Join us

Take your seat at the table

Membership is open, without unfair discrimination, to Papua New Guinea citizens aged 18 and over, and to registered Ward and LLG cooperatives in Manus.

Individual member

K0

For a person joining through their Ward Cooperative.

Organisation member

K0

For affiliated cooperatives, associations, companies, community groups and other organisations.

Fees set by the Executive Committee, Meeting 5/2026, 26 June 2026.

Step 1Talk to your ward leader or Ward Cooperative.

Step 2Fill in the membership form.

Step 3Pay your membership fee.

Step 4The Board confirms your membership.

Ask us about joining

Kam joinim mipla. Toktok wantaim ward lida blo yu.

12 · Working together

The organisations on our path

Export rules link us to national regulators. To grow, we are also reaching out to partners at home and overseas.

Regulators on the export path

IPAInternal Revenue CommissionPNG CustomsNAQIAKIKSpice Industry BoardCocoa Board of PNGNational Fisheries AuthorityRegistrar of Co-operatives

Partners we are seeking

Manus Provincial GovernmentBPNGDCIKCHCCDANambawan SuperNasfundTISAPNGSDPUPNG · Unitech · DWUWorld Bank · IFCADBUNDPGEF · GCFFAOJICAImpact investors

Listing an organisation here means we plan to approach it. It does not mean it has agreed to support the Society.

13 · Contact

Come and sit with us

Questions about membership, partnerships or the export programme? Get in touch with the Committee.

Emailmanus@pisnasaksak.org

Registered officeLorengau Urban LLG, Lorengau District, Manus Province, Papua New Guinea

Facebookfacebook.com/pisnasaksak.org

Registered cooperative society

Legal name: Manus Pis Na Saksak Inc Co-operative Society Ltd
Registration: COSO No. 14141
Registered: 6 May 2026
Law: Co-operative Societies (Amended) Act 1985
Area: All of Manus Province: 12 LLGs, 131 wards
Program: Tribe Citizens Economic Empowerment Program

Pis na Saksak Manus