Grass Skirt Project Releases Independent Evidence Showing 7.9:1 Social Return for PNG Communities

The Grass Skirt Project (GSP), a Papua New Guinea–founded and women-led community development organization, today (February 18th) released an independent Social Return on Investment (SROI) evidence, demonstrating that its integrated youth, sport, and health programs delivered a 7.9:1 social return on investment. 

The analysis forecasts that between 2026 and 2030, GSP’s model will generate approximately USD $22.54 million in social value from an investment of USD $2.87  million, representing exceptional value for money in community-based development. 

The SROI study assesses the social value created through GSP’s integrated delivery  model, which combines:

• National sport and visibility through the Hevea Cup;

•  Youth leadership and gender-transformative programming through 10 Million  Strong; and

• Sustained community access via GymBox community hubs. 

Rather than measuring financial profit, the SROI quantifies the economic and social value of outcomes experienced by young people, communities, and local institutions,  including improved health literacy, strengthened youth leadership, reduced exposure to risk behaviors, and increased community cohesion. 

“This evidence confirms what communities have been telling us for years,” said Tahina Booth, Managing Director of Grass Skirt Project.

“When young people are trusted as leaders and communities are supported to own the solution, the impact multiplies. 

“The SROI shows that locally-led, integrated approaches don’t just work – they deliver extraordinary value.” 

A distinctive finding of the analysis is that approximately half of the total social value is generated by youth themselves through leadership, volunteering, peer education, and community contribution. This reinforces the role of young people, not only as beneficiaries but also as active value creators within their communities.

The study applies internationally recognized SROI principles, including stakeholder-informed outcome identification, conservative assumptions on attribution and deadweight, and sensitivity testing. Even under conservative scenarios, the analysis demonstrates a strong positive return. 

The release of this evidence aligns with GSP’s 2026–2030 Strategic Plan as the organization transitions from pilot delivery to scaled implementation across Papua New  Guinea. 

“This is not a retrospective report. It is a forward-looking evidence base to inform government partnerships, donor investment, and program scale in 2026 and beyond,” Booth added.