Papua New Guinean women share lessons on purpose and self-discovery in their 30s

On Wednesday 15 July 2026, three Papua New Guinean women shared their personal journeys of navigating adulthood and self-discovery in a broadcast for ABC Radio Australia. Speaking on the podcast Sistas Let's Talk, host Natasha Meten sat down with agricultural worker Dolores Kamang, entrepreneur Estelle Walters, and radio executive Maureen “Moe” Orea to discuss the shifting priorities that come with reaching one's thirties. For 34-year-old Estelle Walters, who owns her own beauty salon in Papua New Guinea, the current decade has brought a significant shift in perspective. Walters told Meten that while her twenties were a time of exploring life, she now feels very purpose-driven. She described her life in her thirties as having a distinct sense of meaning and direction that she did not possess in earlier years. Maureen Orea, 32, reflected on the stability she has been able to provide for her loved ones. She shared that she feels a sense of achievement in creating a safe space where her children and siblings feel they can express themselves and lean on her for support. This sentiment of growth was echoed by 39-year-old Dolores Kamang, who recently moved from a government role into the agricultural sector. Kamang spoke candidly about the importance of releasing the need for external validation. She noted that earlier in her life, she often felt the pressure to impress guardians or family members, which sometimes silenced her own voice. Now, however, she embraces making bold decisions for herself. She argued that whether a woman chooses to be married with children or follow a different path, these decisions should be respected as individual choices rather than measures of worth. The discussion highlighted a collective theme of increased confidence and the ability to embrace failure as an opportunity for growth.