Kumura Foundation

Director of the foundation, Vincent Kumura, said a Land Cruiser fully loaded with passengers crashed into a house just before Gembogl Station in Simbu Province.

He said the left front wheel of the vehicle came off, which resulted in the owner of the vehicle and his driver suffering a number of wounds to their foreheads and arms.

They were transported to the Simbu hospital from the Gembogl Health Centre by the Kumura Foundation ambulance, which serves both Upper Bundi and North Simbu.

From June 27^th to July 5^th, 40 students of Bundi, Gembogl and Asaro, ages 4 to 12, went on a fun-filled educational trip to Madang.

Of the 40 students, 31 are from Bundi and the rest are from Gembogl, Simbu and Asaro, Eastern Highlands Province. The students were accompanied by their four teachers from Simbu, their three chefs of Bundi and the Kumura Foundation team.

The goal of the excursion was to expose these mountain children to a coastal environment and the livelihood there.

The local community-based organisation of remote Bundi in Madang Province started from Monday, March 17 to Wednesday, March 19, using a D3 Dozer of Simbu.

Vincent Kumura, the Director of Kumura Foundation, said: “The fine sand road to Upper Bundi from Simbu, along the Mondia Pass Range, has been destroyed by the recent heavy rains, causing deep drains, multiple landslides, slippery road conditions and making traveling by car and delivery of basic services challenging and highly risky.

Director, Vincent Kumura, said the 10 fuel drums from Puma Energy were the largest fuel donation they have received as a small community-based organisation of remote Bundi.

“The foundation will be using these fuel drums to help clear the road to Upper Bundi from Gembogl, Simbu and service the Upper Bundi Ambulance being donated by the Sir Brian Bell Foundation,” Kumura stated.

The program was run by a volunteer Health Extension Officer in association with Kumura Foundation’s rural outreach program from the 31^st of March to the 1^st of April in Madang.

The first day was health education and awareness on COVID-19, tuberculosis, family planning and general hygiene.

“About 30 people attended the awareness,” said CEO of the foundation, Vincent Kumura.

“Second day was patients’ triaging and treatment.

The children arrived on Saturday January 6^th from as far as the border villages of remote Jimi, soaking wet and tired from walking.

It took some of them three days to reach Vincent Kumura’s house at Snow Pass.

“We had a ‘Back to School’ refreshment followed by a movie night for them,” said the director.

“This year, over 30 orphans and disadvantaged children of Bundi will attend school in Simbu as boarding students under our ‘Educating Orphans of Bundi Project’.”

The Simbu shopping centre presented them a trail bike after they were revealed as the winners of the lucky draw Christmas promotion.

At 2pm on February 4^th, the Kumura Foundation team was presented with a Shineray 250 Trail Bike by Gerard Philip, the Managing Director of TNA Holdings Ltd at the TNA Supermarket in Kundiawa, Simbu Province.

This ‘wari pay’ was made at 5pm on Friday, January 22^nd.

The payment was demanded by the Gegru tribe on January 1^st following a tribal fight that occurred on December 28^th, 2020, that saw the burning down of 10 Gegru houses, including the slaughtering of several pigs.

During the ‘wari pay’ payment, the Gegrus also gave a ‘brown paper’ or ‘compensation demand’ of K150,000 with 10 pigs to the Emigari tribe to be paid by the 3^rd week of June.

Peace has been restored following the December 28^th clash between the Gegru and Emigari tribes of upper Bundi. This was achieved through a concerted effort between the leaders of the two tribes, Kumura Foundation, Usino-Bundi police and Bundi leaders.

Angia Freddy, leader of the Gegru tribe, demanded K20,000 and three pigs as ‘wari’ pay from the Emigari tribe who burnt down 10 of their houses, including the slaughtering of six of their pigs and looting of properties.

The Kumura Foundation stepped into the battle site to mediate peace between the warring tribes of Gegru and Emigari.

Founder of the Kumura Foundation, Vincent Kumura, said their mission is to build a better, progressive, and violent free Bundi.

Hence, when the tribal fight occurred between the two tribes on Monday, December 28^th, the foundation could not allow more houses to be burnt down, more pigs to be slaughtered, more assets looted and more lives affected.