The Digicel PNG Foundation has entered a partnership with an indigenous National Capital District village rugby team for its Klin Kominity Program.
With the aim to promote a clean and safe community through awareness and action, Digicel Foundation signed the MOA on Friday with the Vabukori Harricane Rugby League for the Klin Kominiti Program to address pressing social and health concerns through sports.
Digicel PNG Foundation chief operations officer, Adi Anasaini Vesikula, said this is the first time Digicel Foundation has partnered with a sports team in community building, and urged the team members, its executive body and community to honour their commitment to building a clean, safe, urban indigenous village through sport.
“Sports is the thread the holds the fabric of society together and can be the vehicle to address social issues. So through this partnership, we are hoping that you will not only enjoy the sport but you be the change here, in Vabukori village.”
Club treasurer, Mick Rau, said the Vabukori Harricane Rugby Club was established to create an opportunity for the villagers to showcase their talent to the rugby league scouts outside of the village.
They believe that sports could also be a vessel for change and growth in the community.
He urged his club members to be the change and prove that change can come from sports, to create a cleaner and safer community.
The Klin Komuniti program is designed to inform communities and indigenous people living within PNG of the many ways in which the environment can be improved. The main aim of the program is community building by reducing litter and promoting sanitation through awareness and action.
Vabukori Harricane will be receiving a sponsorship of K20,000 to go towards their registrations, uniform and also towards the administration of the Klin Kominiti program, a weekly clean-up and awareness campaign program for a period of 12 months.
Established in October 2008, Digicel PNG Foundation has directly invested K77million in rural, remote and socially marginalised communities across all 22 provinces, directly impacting over 770,000 people.
(Digicel Foundation team seals the deal with the Vabukori Haricane Rugby League team with the signing of an MOA for the Klin Kominiti Program. The boys were challenged to be the change to create a cleaner and safer Vabukori Village)