Wapa Construction Ltd is a small business in Papua New Guinea run by Steven Wesley Wapa, a graduate architect, project manager and bridge design consultant who is its managing director. The company’s line is “Building PNG, One Project at a Time.” The story of how it began is told here as Wapa has told it himself, and it is a useful account for anyone in Papua New Guinea trying to start an SME with very little money.
Wapa has also shared the story on video, which you can watch on YouTube.
Who is behind Wapa Construction Ltd
Wapa grew up in a settlement, where side hustles such as running dart and street sales were part of everyday life. Earning small amounts of money outside a formal job was normal in that setting, and it later paid his living costs while he built his business.
He studied at the University of Technology and completed his final year in 2019 with what he describes as decent academic results. His professional titles today cover architecture, project management and bridge design, and he leads Wapa Construction Ltd as managing director.
Turning down a mining job to start an SME
In 2019, after his final year, Wapa received a job offer from one of the renowned mining companies in Papua New Guinea. The position was draftsman. He says the benefits were tempting.
He declined. He wanted to build his own SME, and he judged that taking a salaried post would delay that goal. This was his own decision, made with his own circumstances in mind. A steady salary suits many graduates, and mining employers hire draftsmen and engineers for good reasons. What stands out in his account is that he chose uncertain income on purpose, knowing what he was giving up.
After registering the business, he left Lae and moved to Goroka to stay with his elder sister. Living with family meant he did not have to pay for housing while the business had no income.
Starting Wapa Construction Ltd in Goroka with no capital
Wapa says he arrived in Goroka with no money. To support himself he started running dart next to Papindo Goroka. The work was familiar to him from childhood, so he could begin right away and did not need savings to start.
His biggest expense was a flex card. He used it to buy mobile data, which let him do designs and advertise his services on the Facebook page he had created for the business, WAPA CONSTRUCTION LTD.
This is a practical detail worth noticing. A designer with no office and no equipment budget can still show work to potential clients through a free social media page. The cost is mainly data, and in Papua New Guinea data is not cheap. For a graduate whose skill is design, spending on data was spending on the business’s only advertising channel. Anyone trying the same approach will find the article on digital tools for small business in Papua New Guinea a useful companion.
Graduating in absentia in 2020
In 2020 Wapa graduated in absentia. He could not afford the graduation gown or the other costs of the ceremony, so he did not attend.
His schoolmates were posting graduation photos online while he was with his boys, running dart. He says it was not easy and that it stung. He wished he could have been there. He also says the financial barrier did not stop him from continuing with the business he was building.
Graduating in absentia is a recognised option at universities, and it meant his qualification was complete even though he missed the occasion. For many families in Papua New Guinea, the costs around graduation are a real obstacle, and Wapa’s experience is one that other graduates will recognise.
Five years on: still building
Wapa says that for a long time his only goal was to get his SME up and running. Five years after those first months in Goroka, he reports that through hard work, sacrifice and many setbacks he is still working in the field he chose, growing his business and aiming to become a successful entrepreneur.
He does not claim to have arrived. He describes himself as still learning and still showing up, which is an honest description of where most small business owners are after their first several years.
What small business owners can take from the Wapa Construction Ltd story
Wapa’s account contains several practical points for anyone starting an SME in Papua New Guinea. They come directly from what he describes doing.
- Register the business early. He registered Wapa Construction Ltd before he moved to Goroka. A registered name gave him something to advertise and build on, even though he had no clients yet.
- Keep your living costs low. Staying with his elder sister meant the business did not have to cover rent. Family support is not available to everyone, but cutting housing costs is one of the quickest ways to make a start affordable.
- Keep a small income running. Running dart paid for his daily needs and for data. A side income does not look impressive, but it lets the main project continue.
- Advertise where you can afford to. A Facebook page cost nothing to open. The main expense was the data to post designs and answer messages.
- Put your skill on display. As a designer, Wapa used designs as his advertisement. Whatever your trade, showing finished or sample work tells potential customers more than a list of services does.
Wapa also gives a reminder about perspective. Other people’s visible milestones, such as graduation photos, show only part of their situation. He kept going with his own plan, and he says that mattered more than how his progress looked at the time.
His story is not a promise that the same steps will produce the same result. Business outcomes depend on the market, the skills involved and plenty of luck. What the account shows is how one graduate approached the early years with limited money.
For readers thinking about sacrifices and long-term goals, Prime Minister James Marape’s message to young Papua New Guineans on making sacrifices in their twenties covers similar ground.
Wapa’s message to others
Wapa’s closing message is for anyone working hard and struggling quietly. He says hardship does not last, and that tough times do not last but tough people do.
He quotes a line he attributes to Sylvester Stallone: “It’s not about how many times you get hit, but how many times you can get hit and keep standing back up.” His advice is to build a resilient mindset, keep going, and believe in yourself even when no one else does. He also tells readers to block out the noise, the naysayers and the small-minded voices.
His final words are: “Stay consistent. Stay focused. Keep believing. Your breakthrough will come.”
Contact Wapa Construction Ltd
If you would like to talk to Wapa Construction Ltd about a project, you can email wapacon.ltd@gmail.com or send a message on WhatsApp to +675 7059 4932. The business can also be found on Facebook under the name WAPA CONSTRUCTION LTD.
