NiuPower Ltd

The announcement coincided with the official launch of this year’s tournament at the Santos National Football Stadium lounge yesterday.

The continued partnership between NiuPower and Sportstok 7s reaffirms the company’s commitment to supporting diversity and inclusiveness in sport in this case the Sportstok 7s tournament.

NiuPower CEO, Michael Uiari on behalf of the company said NiuPower is delighted to be associated with Sportstok 7s again this year, after the success of last year’s tournament.

I have been privileged enough to learn new skills that will allow me to support my family and myself. Prior to this Life Skills Training I had no skillset of any kind to help sustain me.

I am entirely grateful to the organisers of this initiative as it has boosted our moral and has educated us into knowing that we have potential that just required someone to unlock and teach us how to use.

Now with the newfound and taught skills, I am able to create things I can sell to earn an income and I will utilize this knowledge and skillset to teach others.

As PPL’s only customer on the Port Moresby Grid, Niupower has been able to support PPL with 54 to 57 megawatts of electricity.

However, according to Niupower CEO Michael Uiare, PPL has debts to settle. Uiare expressed that if the bills are not paid by September this year, Niupower is likely to face issues with paying their fuel supplier for the gas that is supplied to the power station.

NiuPower also announced this year’s community investment programs scheduled for all five-impact villages of Papa, Lealea, Boera, Porebada and Kido.

This year NiuPower will continue with the water tank program taking into account the changed methodology in distribution and the life skills training that will have advanced lessons.

Niupower’s External Affairs Manager Wellington Bellawa mentioned that they would be spending a little bit more money in education this year, with the building of a library each in Kido, Lealea and Papa.

Life in Kido village is hard but the men and women do what they can for their families to get by, but for the Kido women it is difficult when it comes to fetching water for their homes and for the gardens.

The gardens are not within walking distance, as this feat requires the need to paddle a few kilometers via canoe or get on a dinghy for an approximate two-hour ride.   

To enhance the training they donated manual sewing machines to the Kido Women’s Ministry at the launch. The training workshop targets women, girls and including those with disabilities.

This will run for two weeks with three trainees deployed at Kido to assist Lead Trainer, Anna Amos, a UPNG Arts School lecturer.

The locals will be taught basic skills in sewing, tie-dyeing and screen-printing and cooking to be included in a later training.