Partners contribute PGK9m to improve Hela Hospital Infrastructure

Posted by Oil Search Foundation

Accident and emergency health services at the Hela Provincial Hospital have been boosted with PGK 1 million funding from the Hela Provincial Government and a further PGK 8 million from Santos Limited, Oil Search Foundation, and a personal donation from Peter Botten, Hela PHA Chair and Oil Search Managing Director. The Australian government is also supporting an upgrade to the hospital’s electricity.

Mr Botten welcomed the support saying it was “always a privilege to be working with partners who shared similar development visions for the people of Hela and Papua New Guinea.”

Currently the hospital does not have a facility that can manage the acute care of emergency patients.

“When the Hela PHA Board was appointed in November 2015 we made a commitment to make this hospital one of the best in PNG. I’m proud to say that eighteen months on we are continually pushing ourselves to achieve more,” said Botten. “And we’ve been able to do this because we have a hardworking board, staff and management team and we also have strong partnerships that can help us achieve our vision” Mr Botten said.

The Oil Search Foundation, who is managing the project, has entered into an agreement with Rhodes Engineering to build the new facility which is expected to open in early 2020 at a total cost of around PGK 9 million kina. It will provide a 24-hour service for the initial treatment of a broad spectrum of illnesses and injuries in both adults and children.

Key areas of the facility include a triage area to assess patients according to their needs. It will also include resuscitation bays for the critically ill or injured, acute bays for patients not requiring resuscitation, non-acute bays for patients who require close monitoring after resuscitation or treatment, a procedure room, a plaster room for fracture stabilization and an isolation room for the management of infectious diseases or privacy for survivors of domestic or sexual violence.

Mr Botten was delighted with Governor Phililp Undialu and the Provincial Government’s support and praised them for their commitment to improving health. ‘On behalf of the Board we are deeply appreciative of the support we are receiving from the Governor and his team. I also thank them for their plan to provide incentives to Health professionals to work in Hela. “Infrastructure is necessary, but it’s no good to anyone if there are no doctors or nurses to provide services” he said.

Go to this link: https://www.oilsearchfoundation.org/media-1/2019/3/13/partners-contribute-pgk9m-to-improve-hela-hospital-infrastructure

Oil Search Foundation helps to open door to new literacy library in Tari

Posted by Oil Search Foundation

“When schools all over Hela closed after the earthquake, our school remained open. When there was tribal fighting here and all the schools in Tari closed, our school did not close down. We have kept going. We kept going because of help from you all.” This is how a parent of a student enrolled at the Habare Literacy Library in Tari described why the school of early childhood learning continued to operate even after the earthquake forced the building that housed the library off its foundations.

While schools in Tari remained closed for last year, the Habare Literacy Library reopened in June. The headmaster allocated an undamaged classroom for the library because the community wanted their children to continue classes despite the disaster.

On February 28, in front of happy students, smiling parents, and a proud delegation led by Oil Search Ltd Managing Director Peter Botten, the Habare Literacy Library opened its doors at the old classroom.

Built with funding from the Oil Search Foundation (OSF), the early childhood education program provides an innovative learning environment for 100 children aged 4 to 6 years – and provides them with the foundation for lifelong success.

Students enrolled in the childhood literacy program by the PNG NGO, Buk bilong Pikinini (BbP) use the library to study phonics, for speaking and listening exercises, pre-reading and pre-writing; the four building blocks that must be in place for a child to begin a lifetime of literacy.

Mr Botten, who is also OSF Chairman, spoke to students about the importance of early learning. “Who wants to be Managing Director of Oil Search?” Mr Botten asked. “Who wants to be head of the Hela Provincial Health Authority? Who wants to be the next Prime Minister of PNG?”

“This library gives you an opportunity in life to reach your farthest dream. The library gives you an opportunity to read and write, to get an education and to get a good job.”

And it seems that the children enrolled in the programme are already are well on their way.

“When they came to us, they did not know English,” Susan Minai, the head librarian said. “But after three weeks, they can follow our instructions in English. They can say the words we teach them. It is amazing to watch.” Ms Minai and a few helpers have kept the literacy program going while the library was undergoing repairs.

Mr Botten thanked teachers like Ms Minai and emphasised how important they are. “A library is not just a room full of books. It needs trained staff to help children reach their education goals.”

He also thanked the local Seventh Day Adventist Church for providing the teachers and students with classrooms and Buk bilong Pikinini for their strong partnership to provide training, mentoring and the curriculum. The support of parents and local community members was acknowledged, along with the important role by the Provincial Department of Education.

“We have enjoyed a very productive relationship with education officials,” said Mr Botten who is also chair of the Hela Provincial Health Authority. “This is the way we work, in partnership with organisations to deliver the services people need. And we can’t do it without the community, that has provided labour and support to open this wonderful library.”

One of OSF’s next tasks will be to help build a new library in Fugwa, located in the Koroba-Kopiago district of Hela. This will be done with funding from the Australian government, the local Member, Hon Petrus Thomas and with support from the Wesley church and the provincial education office. A new library funded by OSF will also be open later this year in Kikori, Gulf Province.

Go to this link: https://www.oilsearchfoundation.org/media-1/2019/3/12/oil-search-foundation-helps-to-open-door-to-new-literacy-library-in-tari

Workers urged to insure health

By TREVOR WAHUNE - The National

Finance Minister James Marape has encouraged the workforce to sign up for PNG Health Assurance Company Ltd (PHA) to care for their health.
PHA is a national healthcare insurance scheme that was launched on Saturday in Port Moresby.
“This is a good scheme,” Marape said.
“It will help people have enough savings to look after themselves when they are sick, instead of putting pressure on relatives, as is the case in many situations.”
Marape thanked PHA and its strategic partners for turning what was just a concept 13 months ago into reality.
“It is an important scheme, as far as the public and private sector are concerned,” he said.
“Many elite Papua New Guineans are losing their lives very early.
“Rich or poor, now there is an insurance package that can be contributed for by all Papua New Guineans. “
Marape said people spent a lot of money daily on bad habits, but when it came to matters of health, people said they did not have money.
“Last time, I was speaking to one of my friends, who loves to chew betel nut and spend a little bit of money on cigarettes,” he said.
“He was just one of those average public servants.
“He said he spends up to K5 a day on betel nut and cigarettes.
“In a week he spends up to K35, up to K70 a fortnight.
“That person, on a minimum average, spends up to K1000 per year just on buai and smoke.
“Imagine donating K5 a day to a scheme like this.
“Betel nut and smoke lead to a lot of lifestyle diseases.”
Marape said contributing to a health was a better way of sustaining one’s health than spending more money on junk.
Marape, after the launch, signed up for PHA with wife, Rachael, to get their health covered.

Go to this link for more: https://www.thenational.com.pg/workers-urged-to-insure-health/

Mismanagement of IDG Funds Rife In Hela Province

By By KEVIN TEME - Post Courier

Mismanagement and misuse of Infrastructure Development Grants is rife in Hela Province.

A public servant from Hela Province Max Ekeya revealed this in an email sent to this paper.

“Especially in the new Hela Province, there seem to be huge mismanagement of funds especially the Business Development Grants (BDG) and IDG by landowners and the Provincial Government,” Ekeya said.

“Since the intervention of Exxon Mobile through its partnership with Oil Search PNG Limited in operations of PNG LNG Project, we the landowners and the provincial government have been funded millions through those projects and business funds we do not have anything to show,” Ekeya said.

Ekeya said regarding assets and wealth that the provincial government has no solid infrastructure that signifies such expenditure.

Ekeya said despite their own weakness they tend to disrupt the projects unnecessarily in demanding for more money from the developer causing the developer millions in damages which he said was wrong.

“Despite all these millions of kina through project funds have been allocated to the land owners and the provincial Government as per the UBBSA and LBBSA agreement, we all are losers and yet we are demanding for more, while the rest of the land owners, and entire Hela is in Darkness,” Ekeya said.

Ekeya said now that all the IDG grants pipped into Hela Provincial Government’s account which is by law are the responsible authority to take charge of, there’s hardly any development that has come out from the IDG funds.

“We were given Hela Province on a golden plate, thanks to the Somare Government and our Late Governor Anderson Agiru but we are still living in the dark caves while few rich are getting richer while the rest are poor and marginalized and living with hunger, tribal warfare, chaos and anarchy in our own communities,” Ekeya said.

Ekeya said Hela Provincial Government must strategise; plan out by establishing a monitoring and compliance team in collaboration with the Provincial Administration, national government, department of Petroleum and Energy, the developers and other parties concerned on how best they can utilise the landowners by giving them their IDG funds.

“We appeal for the Hela Provincial Government to revisit its expenditure plan for the IDG and establish a strategy how they can fit the landowners who are crying and have missed out on opportunities,” Ekeya said.

Ekeya said the landowners are humans and not barbarians and criminals. They are the owners of  the resource (Noko, Apa, Tindi and Apa) and how can the Provincial Government and leaders of our new province continue to suppress them (LOs).

Ekeya said greater landowner participation, greater autonomy and Hela will prosper.

Go to this link: https://postcourier.com.pg/mismanagement-idg-funds-rife-hela-province/

Hela govt spends K7mil on land to extend airport

Posted on The National

THE Hela government has spent almost K7million to acquire customary land for the extension of the Tari Airport and work is ready to start, Hela Governor Philip Undialu says.
He said the provincial government had also allocated funds to start work on a new terminal facility at Komo Airport after discussions with ExxonMobil PNG Ltd.
“Tari Airport extension work is ready to kick- start,” Undialu said.
“The contractor has already established on site with temporary camp, crushers and equipment and stock pile is going on. Hela provincial government has so far spent K7million to acquire customary land for a few metres’ extension so we can qualify to receive bigger planes.”
Undialu said the provincial government was waiting for the National Airports Corporation (NAC) to agree on their increased scope from single-storey building to two storeys for the terminal facility.
“Also the Komo International Airport remains our most important asset that we will also utilise.
“I have spoken to the managing director for ExxonMobil and they accepted our request to allow the public to utilise the airport.”

Go to this link: https://www.thenational.com.pg/hela-govt-spends-k7mil-on-land-to-extend-airport/

Armed with a school: How a couple are healing tribal conflict & breaking barriers

By Scott Waide -  Posted on Inspirational Papua New Guineans.

In 2015, when Thomas Kopari and his wife Martina started the Ipau technical vocational education and training (TVET) school outside of Tari town, they didn’t expect the school to grow as rapidly as it did.

It all started from their passion for education. Thomas was the former Catholic Education Secretary and Martina, has managed the school since it began. They didn’t have any outside funding to began with. They used their own savings to pay for building materials, stationary and every other cost the school incurred.

“I can’t tell you how much we spent,” Martina says. “I’ve forgotten.”

Initially they wanted to train school leavers and offer an alternative technical pathway. But they were confronted with a huge demand for education and technical training. Nearly everyone – young and old, men and women, wanted to learn. So they took in as many as they could, charged them a small fee of K50 and began classes.

“The K50 we charge is for administration costs,” Thomas says. “We tell them that if they can’t pay in cash, they can pay in kind. If they don’t have money, they can bring a small pig or building materials wroth K50 or K100. The people were very happy with that arrangement.”

The opportunity for an education encouraged older men and women to enroll at what is now called Ipau TVET School.

“We couldn’t restrict people because of age. We found that while many of the older students didn’t have formal qualifications, they had years of experience and that has been beneficial for younger students,” Thomas said.

The classrooms are made from a mix of traditional building materials, iron sheeting and cement. In one of the classrooms, electrician and instructor, John Feku teaches a small class of students who are training to be electricians.

Apart from a blackboard and desks made out of packing cases, there is little else. They try as much as possible to find the equipment that will give them the much needed technical experience. It’s a difficult job, but there is no way, these people are giving up.

“This year, we are teaching them the basics of residential wiring and semi commercial wiring,” Feku says. “ After the first year, we sent them off to technical colleges in Mt. Hagen, Simbu and other parts of the country. This is the pathway for them.”

Up on the hill, several other classes are in session. In the motor mechanic class, there are a few older students in their 50s and 60s and a woman. Ipau TVET School also breaking barriers and challenging cultural mindsets that tend to segregate women and isolate the old. It is also uniting the communities.

“In the Hela culture, men don’t sit with the women. But when they come here, I tell them, sit at the same desk and they are finding that they are sharing an experience together. It’s changing mindsets in a small way.

“Many of the people who come here are traditional enemies. I tell them, to leave their weapons at the gate when they come to learn. This school is slowly changing the way people behave,” Thomas says.

Thomas and Martina soon found that they also needed to start an elementary school, so that smaller children could learn close to where their parents were getting educated.

Ipau Vocational School has become a community learning center in the truest sense.

The parents learn technical skills, their kids go to an elementary school on the same campus and the people contribute to the maintenance and construction of the school.

“When the parents come to school, there’s nobody to take care of their kids. So they bring their kids who school and the kids attend the elementary school.”

Many of the women come to learn tourism and hospitality. Martina doubles as the center’s manager and the tourism and hospitality instructor. She never thought it would come this far.

Many of the younger students expect to go on to other institutions. Many of the older students say small communities don’t need university degrees at this stage, but technical skills are highly valued in their villages.

Go to this link for more: wordpress.com/2019/02/19/armed-with-a-school-how-a-couple-are-healing-tribal-conflict-breaking-barriers/amp/?fbclid=IwAR2JMzFhANrutk217ubu28cfqrQQ7j0BcK3C-aiQNe734ilah7V-Q_uv2cs

Hanuabada Girl Appointed Deputy Head Girl In Fiji Girl School

Posted on skerah

Every parent wants what’s best for their child and education is often the most important area a parent wants to see their child excel in.  Success in education whether it be a certificate in class for behaving or a merit award for academic success brings much joy to any parent.  And if you have ever had that feeling seeing your child with an award in hand, you know your kid has potential for bigger things ahead.  And that is the exact feeling or state of mood, the parents of Bev Hera Vai are feeling at this very moment.

Earlier this month, the young lass from Hanuabada Village was appointed as the Deputy Head Girl of Adi Cakobau School, an all girls’ boarding school in Fiji.  It’s a rare achievement for a Papua New Guinean, particularly on foreign soil, and of course any achievement like this is a significant and proud achievement for the whole family and even those who have family linkages between the two island nations.

The status of the school itself deserves mention because it adds more significance to Bev’s achievement and potential.

Adi Cakobau is a prestigious school with a proud history dating back to 1948 when it was first established.  It is named after the granddaughter of Seru Epenisa Cakobau, the King of Fiji who united the islands under his authority in 1871 and subsequently ceded the nation to the United Kingdom several years later.

The school has an “elite” status in Fiji with notable alumnae including Kuini Speed Head Girl in 1968 (Fijian Deputy Prime Minister 1999-2000), Jiko Luveni (Dentist, Fiji Minister for Health), Dr. Lady Tuivaga (One of Fiji’s first women doctors), Amelia Rokotuivana (Head Girl in 1960 and a nominee for a noble peace prize) and many more.

Bev’s achievement sounds out a message to Papua New Guinean parents wanting to enroll their child overseas.  The most obvious “go to” place has been Australia but in recent years, parents are starting to view Fiji as an alternative and perhaps a more affordable alternative without diminishing the quality of education.

But on a more personal level, Bev is destined for greater things if her recent success in a school with a long history of producing some of Fiji leading citizens is any indication.

The second child of proud parents Steven and Muduka, Bev’s “Fijian family” have described her as “humble young lady groomed for a great future”.

Her achievement posted by other Fijians in Port Moresby has already created a lot of interest with parents wanting to know more about how they can enroll their child at this prestigious school.

Steven (Left) Muduka Vai (Right)

Bev’s father Steven, an accountant, has worked for Air Niugini for close to two decades and perhaps it is through his regular trips to Fiji that enticed him to transfer Bev from St. Joseph.

As for her mother Muduka, she has described her daughter’s achievement as “mega proud”.  Her work colleagues at the international law firm of Ashurst here in Port Moresby will attest that she has been a “frequent flyer” on the POM-NAN route – perhaps much more than the PX cabin crews themselves! 😉 And without doubt Bev’s success is also largely attributed to the tremendous support of her loving parents and siblings.

The Vai family hail from the Mavara/Kahanamona Clan of the Big Village which has a popular expression “Milk Na Moale Gauna”. Quite simply, it means MILK (which is short for the conjoined clans of Mavara Idibana Laurina Kahanamona) is a happy place or a clan of joy and happiness.  And quite rightly, Bev has indeed lived up to her clan’s expression bringing much joy and happiness to the family and the clan from a distance much longer than the length of the clan’s nese (walkway).

Of course it is still early days for this young lass but what is apparent now is the foundation she is building for herself for a brighter future and of course a path she is creating for other Papua New Guineans interested in following.

Well done Bev Hera Vai – your achievement is indeed a Moale Gauna!

Go to this link for original post: http://skerah.com/education/hanuabada-girl-appointed-deputy-head-girl-in-fiji-girls-school/