Purari

Fortunately, for Aumu village they have one teacher who teaches elementary through to grade 2. They also have a volunteer phonics teacher who gives up her personal time to ensure children of the village learn to read and write at a basic level.

The same cannot be said for Aivai’i and Kae-Varia. The village children are said to make long-distance trips by river, to and fro, to the nearest schools in other villages such as Evara.

Many choose to forgo the commute and remain at home, in the village.

Phina says she holds classes on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays. Explaining that on Wednesdays, she attends fellowship with the other women of the village where she is the group’s secretary.

A mother of seven children herself, Phina says she knows the importance of education, and the need for children to learn the basics such as reading and writing.

The communities when receiving these very necessary relief supplies have expressed their gratitude, thanking the project and those at the heart of this mission.

Richard Steven from Aivai’i village, shares that the water levels had risen after continuous rain in the Highlands region towards the end of October 2023. He says after waters rose and flooded the villages for two weeks, and what was left were gardens buried by thick layers of sediment.

Operator of Papua LNG, Total Energies has launched a ‘Disaster Relief Mission’ to assist villages in its area of influence with food rations and medicine.

In coordination with the Gulf Provincial Authority, the Project will also be providing relief efforts in the form of medical supplies to communities outside the area of influence.

The mission began on November 2 at Apiope village at the mouth of the Purari with Project staff distributing food rations and handing over medical supplies to a Community Health Worker based at the aid post/health centre in the village.