Inside this issue€¦ · Based in Tabubil, Mount Fubilan Farm Manager Mr. Nir Ber said it was a...

This is a monthly publication of the Ok Tedi Development Foundation and its community partners of Western Province Issue 37- March 2019

www.otdfpng.orgwww.otdfpng.org01

Finalbin youthslearn music

11 CMCA youths graduate as CHW’s

Inside this issue:

NDB partnerhip welcoming

A local poultry farm in the Star Mountains of Western Province delivered 200 cartons containing 21,600 fresh eggs to Ok Tedi Mining catering contractor Fubilan Catering Services (FCS) in MarchBased in Tabubil, Mount Fubilan Farm Manager Mr. Nir Ber said it was a special occasion that a locally owned and operated farm can cater for such an order to be delivered each month especially since the farm only commenced production 18 months ago. The farm started construction in 2017 and by late February 2018 the fi rst layers produced eggs. Three sheds with 9,000 laying birds have since produced over 1.8 million eggs. Village Planning Committee (VPC) Chairman for Wangbin Village and Vice Chairman Fubilan Farm Joshua David, said this project rewrites history by uniting the 6 mine villages. Speaking for the populace of the 6 mine villagers, Mr. David said the project is the fi rst-ever co-funded, large scale project for the six mine villages of Atemkit, Finalbin, Bultem, Kavorabip, Migalsimbip, and Wangbin since the villages began receiving compensation benefi ts from Ok Tedi Mining Limited (OTML). “From past experiences we have not had a unifi ed project as such, and every village was for itself. We have never united to help each other”, he said in pidgin. “But

for us, we only depend on the Village Development Funding from OTML, and if Ok Tedi stops then everything stops there”. Mr David said the VDF funding alone cannot support village projects, shedding light to why they opted to co-fund the farm project to generate extra income for the VDF basket of funding. “This is one of our fi rst projects, egg farm, which has been established”. The purpose and reason for the 6 mine villages’, including the Women and Children of Star Mountain to partner with IAI to establish the Fubilan Farm. Mr David said the farm is set up to be a major business arm of the VPC’s, the mine villages and women and children. This would support the projects which currently fall under the village development fund which is OK Tedi provides for annually. Mr. David added that from observation certain food crops were not sustainable due to the type of vegetation at high altitude and the type of climate in the Star Mountain region. The 6 mine villages contributed 10% each while the Women and Children of Star Mountain contributed 20%, with the reaming 20% coming from IAI to get the project of the ground.

Supervisor for Supervisor for Packing (Ezekiel) Packing (Ezekiel) checking and checking and sorting the fresh sorting the fresh eggs before eggs before distribution. distribution.


OTDF HighlightsOTDF Highlightsin briefin brief

10 MarchUpgrading of the general car park for BH1 & 2 nearing completion

11 MarchCommunity Consultation established (fi rst trial at Kawok Village)

18 MarchAdult Matriculation registration and issuance of learning materials in the all 3 regions were completed

20 MarchCatholic Education Agency in Kiunga signed MOU for Women Association funding for the Elementary Teachers refresher training during term one holiday.

Delivery of 20 Tonnes of basic building materials for the Housing project in Nupmo villages,completed.

25 MarchStart of First Trust Board Meetings in 2019

Women distribution - Eaglewood seedlings completed in Wai Tri while MF & SF is in progress.

All 9 Women Associations have completed their 2019 budget – awaiting Trust approval.

29 MarchNupmo & Upper Tutuwe Youths 2 weeks life Skills training (Music) at Ningurum completed

NDB partnership attracting opportunities NDB partnership attracting opportunities

L-R: Dau Tapie - OTDF Business Development Offi cer, L-R: Dau Tapie - OTDF Business Development Offi cer, Joyce Daweh (NDB payee), Doreen Bate - Public Offi cer Joyce Daweh (NDB payee), Doreen Bate - Public Offi cer (Tutuwe Ara) and Elfredah Kenamwo -Tutuwe Ara (Tutuwe Ara) and Elfredah Kenamwo -Tutuwe Ara Association PresidentAssociation President

THE Women’s National Development Bank Credit Scheme (WNDBCS) Program is building momentum as loan applications are being lodged by the association executives. This is an initiative of the (4) four Women’s Associations; the Middle Fly, Nupmo, Nima Ara and Tutuwe Ara.According to OTDF Business Development Offi cer Ms. Dau Tapie, the scheme is for women in the CMCA region to access funds through a loan arrangement with NDB to start up their own small businesses.“So far the 4 Women Associations have contributed a total of PGK1.5 Million and deposited to NDB as security, for their women to access NDB Loans,” said Ms. Tapie. She said being the fi rst Women’s association, there were many chal-lenges which the Business Development team took as lessons learnt to improve the loan facilitation process for all stakeholders con-cerned. “There have been signifi cant success stories from the fi rst batch of loans

released to successful applicants.” She said one such applicant is Mrs Joyce Daweh who received a loan of K1000 through the credit scheme at the end of December, 2018. “From the K1000 I added my own K100 and paid for day old chicks to raise in my small poultry farm. While selling the chickens I also sold house-hold consumables to raise enough money to fi nish my loan repayment,” she said. Mrs. Daweh wanted to pay back the loan quickly to gain NDB’s trust, in order to apply for another loan to ex-pand her ventures. “If more recipients like me adhere to the scheme’s policies it will make the processing of loans even quicker.” Already hundreds of applications have been lodged with the NDB here in Kiunga however outstanding loan repayments are causing a delay in the processing applications.She called out to those owing the NDB to settle their debts so that other women can have the same op-portunity and make a change in their lifestyles.

OTDF staff fi nish off the walk at the FRCC

From the 164 total loan applications, 59 were approved by NDB (Middle Fly 19, North Fly 40) while 105 (Mid-dle Fly 67, North Fly 38) are pending verifi cation and approval. Currently NDB charges a 6.5% inter-est rate and a K50.00 loan fee (com-pulsory fees).

Kiunga - Fun WalkKiunga - Fun Walk

FFFFF CCCRCRCRCCCCCCChhhhheettthhhhhehe FFFFF CRCRCRCRCRCCCCCCCwallkkkk atwalllllllllkkkkkkkkkk atlllllkkkkkkllllllllkkkkkkkkk


Trainer sees music as a disciplineTrainer sees music as a discipline

Music Trainer Mr Music Trainer Mr Richard Urio (R) Richard Urio (R) watching over a watching over a youth participant as youth participant as he belts out a tune.he belts out a tune.

Mr Kuman addressing Mr Kuman addressing Finalbin youths Finalbin youths who participated in who participated in the music training the music training held recently at the held recently at the communtiy learning communtiy learning centre.centre.

IT is said that music is the uni-versal language, bringing people from all walks of life together, re-gardless of race, religion or status. This was evident during the re-cently concluded Mine Villages Music Training program. The training attracted youths of all ages and gender from the 6 mine villages. Professional musician and facilita-tor, Richard Urio, said the interest shown by the youths towards the training sessions was overwhelm-ing. “The youth’s participation and in-terest in reading music was excep-tional, especially for the majority of who were beginners,” he said. Mr Urio added that music was more than just recreational activity but a discipline, if nurtured we will see young people fl ourish in what-ever aspirations that they have. Program Services Sustainable Development Manager, Mr Eric Kuman, said that the activity was a positive change towards the youths’ personal development. “Youths are a priority for the de-velopment of Western Province,” he said while congratulating youth leaders for recognizing their needs.He told the youths that even though the Youth 5 year develop-ment program plan for the youths was not adequately funded the onus was on youth leaders who took the lead to prioritize such ac-tivities to enhance their capacity. Meanwhile Executive Manager Program Services, Mr. Havini

Vira, told the youths that they were fortunate to have a professional mu-sician come down to their level to teach them how to read and write music. “You are very privileged to have an expert like Richard in the village communities. Most Papua New Guinean artists don’t know how to read and write music,” he said. He encouraged the youths to ad-vance their musical talents at their own time to complement their social development as music colors life. Youth President of the 6 mine vil-lages, Roy Meki, on behalf of the 50 plus promising musicians expressed gratitude to OTDF Community Ser-vices team for assisting in the facili-tation of the training.He went further on to appeal to stakeholders to take into consider-ation the Mine Villages and CMCA Youth Development Plan 2017 in terms of separate funding to allow such programs to be implemented without any delays. Over 50 youths from the 6 mine vil-lages graduated as beginners in ba-

sic drums, strings and keys. Mr. Kuman has committed to seeing the music training rolled out in other regions as well.This means that the program will eventually be rolled out in the Middle Fly and South Fly regions.

Finalbin Music Training GraduationFinalbin Music Training Graduation


He challenged the graduates to go out and put into practice their learnings and gain experienced and be the most qualifi ed CWH worker in the rural parts of Western Province and Papua New Guinea. “The places you will go are very challenging.” Mr. Kuman reminded the graduates of the harsh conditions they will face in the Western Province.“If you live here, listen to your heartbeat as a CHW worker and go to those places, the people need you most, rather than in towns and cities”. In a span of over 12 years, more than PGK100 million has been spent on supporting Health programs from the North Fly, Middle Fly to the South Fly catapulting the region.“It will be a mammoth task for the leaders to maintain this status of improved health services” he ended.The OTDF Scholarship Program has supported more than 500 students in different disciplines, of this there is available 30 positions for health scholarship alone.

Scholarship students graduate as CHW’sScholarship students graduate as CHW’sTWENTY year old Florence Robert a CHW graduate is confi dent to serve her community of Membok Village in the Upper-Middle Fly (CMCA) region.She said the struggle to access health care in her area was reason enough to register at Rumginae Community Health Worker Training School, but in order to attend training, she needed scholarship assistance from Ok Tedi Development Foundation.“After today, I feel confi dent to help my community to practice proper sanitation and hygiene, assisting the women during delivery and giving advice to mothers on proper nutrition for the children, the more vulnerable

ones”.For Florence, constant family support motivated her to complete her studies, and be able to graduate. She intends to go back to a sub health centre nearest to her village to work and gain further experience, with the intention to pursue studies of becoming a registered nursing offi cer (RNO). “Every year there are 30 scholarship spaces available upon application from the OTDF Scholarships desk.”Program Manager for OTDF Program Services Sustainable Development (PSSD) Mr Eric Kuman said this, when addressing graduates of the 40th Rumginae -Community Health Workers (CHW) Graduation ceremony on the 13th of March.“Today I am proud to say that our health status in this Province has moved up from the second last to the fourth position in the country, I want to acknowledge the partners especially the faith based services, “he echoed. He mentioned that all mainline churches were to be thanked for their immense contribution to providing health services beyond the most extreme terrains, and all partners involved in the rural health programs in Western Province.He was proud to see 41 students graduate with certifi cates of which 11 received sponsorship from the respective women’s association in the Ok Tedi Mine region (PAD) and the CMCA.

41 CHW Graduates of the 41 CHW Graduates of the Rumginae Community Health Rumginae Community Health Workers School, Western ProvinceWorkers School, Western Province

CMCA sponsored students with OTDF PSSD Manager Mr Eric KumanPSSD Manager Mr Eric Kuman

t

Region Sponsors Total GraduatesRegion Sponsors Total Graduates

PAD OTML 4 PAD OTML 4 Middle Fly Trusts 2Middle Fly Trusts 2Manawate Trusts 1Manawate Trusts 1Dudi Trusts 1Dudi Trusts 1Tutuwe Trusts 1Tutuwe Trusts 1Suki Fly Gogo Trusts 2Suki Fly Gogo Trusts 2

Florence Robert


41 CHW Graduates of the Rumginae Community Health Workers School, Western Province

THE CMCA Women’s Associations through OK Tedi Development Foundation have sourced a Church partner to provide training for Elementary School teachers along the CMCA corridor.The Catholic Education Agency (CEA) under the Diocese of Daru-Kiunga, Western Province was awarded the contract recently to conduct a mobilization process to facilitate Elementary Teachers Refresher Training. As per the agreement,the trainings are aimed at achieving two pressing objectives; building the capacity of elementary teachers in everyday classroom matters and for the teacher to learn the principles of Early Childhood Care and Education.According to the Catholic Education Secretary Mr. Kevin Joseph the CEA has an existing training module which makes it easy for the CEA team to coordinate the trainings.“In the Kiunga Diocese we have services, one of this is the Education Services, it’s under the education act, which is the unifi ed education system with the government and the seven mainline churches ( GoPNG and Church Partnership Program) working together to deliver education programs, we still carry

Empowering our Elementary school teacherson those program to date”, he said. Mr. Joseph said this partnership will remain forever as the Church stands strong on the services it provides.“Your money will not go to waste, I have my team who will work together with OTDF to pull this proj-ect through”. As the secretary for Education Mr. Joseph thanked the women’s as-sociations for taking ownership and providing a budget to cater for this

very important project. The OTDF Community Development team envisages for the CEA to provide training for teachers in church and government agency schools within the CMCA corridor.Ms Jennifer Krimbu was thankful for CEA for accepting the task to train the elementary teachers.The Project is expected to begin in March and end in November 2019.

EEEEEmpoweriiiing our EEEEEllllementtttary schhhoollll tttttttteachhhhersEEEEEEmpoweriiiiing our EEEEEEllllllllementtttary schhhoollll tttttttteachhhhhhhersEmpowering our Elementary school teachersEmpowering our Elementary school teachers

Catholic Education Agency (Diocese of Daru-Kiunga,) Secretary Mr. Joseph Catholic Education Agency (Diocese of Daru-Kiunga,) Secretary Mr. Joseph showing the signed contract, looking on are representatives from the women’s showing the signed contract, looking on are representatives from the women’s associations of CMCA associations of CMCA and and OTDF staff.OTDF staff.

Catholic Education Agency (Diocese of Daru-Kiunga,) Secretary Mr. Joseph Catholic Education Agency (Diocese of Daru-Kiunga,) Secretary Mr. Joseph signs the contract, looking on is Mr. Havini Vira - OTDF Executive Manager signs the contract, looking on is Mr. Havini Vira - OTDF Executive Manager Program Services. Program Services.


About us

Ok Tedi Development Foundation Limited (OTDF) is a not for profi t organisation, formed in 2001 as part of the Community Mine Continuation Agreement (CMCA), enabling consent from the communities for the Ok Tedi Mine to continue operating.

Following a review of the CMCA in 2006/2007, the Ok Tedi Fly River Development Program (OTFRDP) was registered as the Company’s trading name, paving the way for OTDF to operate independently of OTML from March 2010.

OTDF is a dynamic organisation mandated to mobilise funds and deliver sustainable projects into all 6 Mine Villages & 8 CMCA Trust regions of the Western Province (Tutuwe, Wai Tri, Nupmo, Middle Fly, Suki Fly Gogo, Manawete, Kiwaba and Dudi).

649 5367 or 649 3716

[email protected]

www.otdfpng.org

For more about OTDFFor more about OTDF

This newsletter is produced by the OTDF Media & Communications Team to update and report on developments OTDF is implementing throughout CMCA regions of the Western Province.

If you have any comments or feedback, please send them to [email protected] or [email protected] or call 649 5367

Like Us on Facebook

Time Out

Preparing the Fubilan Farm fresh eggs for distribution

OTDF carpark works for safe secure parkingOTDF carpark works for safe secure parking

PPVolleyball match between Stingray and RiversideVolleyball match between Stingray and Riverside

Contract Signing between OTDF and CES Kiunga -DaruContract Signing between OTDF and CES Kiunga -Daru

Community service by OTDF staffCommunity service by OTDF staff

PV participants advance to short courses at KVCPV participants advance to short courses at KVC OTDF team completing the Kiunga fun walkOTDF team completing the Kiunga fun walk

Presenting TCS vehicles to FRPG administrationPresenting TCS vehicles to FRPG administration

www.facebook.com/otdfpng

Inside this issue€¦ · Based in Tabubil, Mount Fubilan Farm Manager Mr. Nir Ber said it was a...

Documents

Transcript of Inside this issue€¦ · Based in Tabubil, Mount Fubilan Farm Manager Mr. Nir Ber said it was a...