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Allow me to share
with you some of the community development projects I have volunteered
with the sole purpose of helping my people and country. These projects
are initiated based on my faith that Papua New Guineans are richly blessed
by God through an abundance of skills, abilities, knowledge, wisdom, and
vision to bring positive developments into their respective local communities.
By properly using these divine gifts, we can together change the country
for the better. The online publicity of my projects is not to ‘grand-stand’
my ego but to inspire and challenge fellow educated Papua New Guineans
to abstain from idleness and uselessness, and to practically promote locally-based
development initiatives. The following community development projects are
evidence of vision for positive change in my province and country:
There are two components in this project: eco-forestry and nature conservation. This project specializes in afforestation, reforestation, and nature conservation development in Western Highlands Province. Kokop Village Eco-Forestry and Conservation Project is the principle project of “Kokop Village Eco-Forestry Development Organization (KVEDO), Incorporated". The project started in August of 2000. Between 2000 and 2003, over ten thousand tree seedlings were purchased, transported, planted, and maintained at Kokop Village in Western Highlands Province at a total cost of K21, 500. Over the next 20 years, more than 300, 000 tree seedlings are planned to be purchased, distributed among rural villagers, and planted in different villages throughout Western Highlands Province. This is a comprehensive environmental development initiative undertaken to benefit the many people from Western Highlands Province. For a detailed information on Kokop Village Eco-Forestry and Conservation Project, click here. Inside the heart of Kokop Village is a 30-plus hectare rainforest patch which remains the spiritual and cultural hub of the Kentiga Tribe. Over the last two decades, this rainforest site had been subject to deforestation and exploitation. The KVEDO Inc. had claimed ownership of this site 4 years ago and restored of its lushness and natural beauty. While this project is part of the overall "Kokop Village Eco-Forestry and Conservation Project", there are major things planned for this project's expansion and development. One of such plan is to make Wopkola Rainforest become a privately-managed, government-funded, and well-managed national conservation site. Negotiations are already underway with officials of the Papua New Guinea Environment and Conservation Ministry to effect Wopkola Rainforest as a national conservation site. Currently, the killing of all kinds of birds (including the various species of the Bird of Paradise) throughout Kokop Village is indefinitely banned by a Court Order taken by KVEDO Inc. Deforestation, extraction of plant species including exotic native orchids, hunting of animals, starting bushfires, and intrusion of the project site are all prohibited by this same Court Order. The Wopkola Rainforest today remains clean, well-developed, and idle for tourists to visit. For more information, click here. It is my vision that one day, Kokop Village would become an eco-tourism haven in Papua New Guinea. Based on this vision, Kokop Village Eco-Tourism Center is being presently developed. The eco-tourism center constitutes an eco-lodge which is owned by Tropical Village Adventure Tours - a company recently formed by Samson Yuimb, a native of Kokop Village. The eco-tourism center offers eco-tourists a unique opportunity to stay in a remote rural village and among the native Kentiga Tribe's population. Many eco-adventure opportunities are provided along with food, transportation, and accommodation. To learn about the eco-tourism project, click here. The Kentiga Tribe in Western Highlands Province does not have a primary school to cater for the educational needs of its future tribal and provincial leaders. Realizing this need and knowing the importance of education, Samson Yuimb has organized the leaders of the Kentiga Tribe to build a primary school at Kokop Village. In 2003, the land on which the school would be seated was dermacated. A land mass measuring over 25 hectares have been agreed by all concerned parties to allow the school to be located. Early 2004, classrooms would be built, foreign volunteer teachers would be engaged, and mock classes would be conducted in preparation for formal or official commencement in 2005 academic year. For detailed information on this project, click here. |
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