Cricket PNG proud to win award

Cricket PNG’s Kriket Blo Olgeta (KBO) coordinator, Susan Komang, said she was very proud to receive the Community Sports Initiative award at last weekend’s 2017 SP Sports Awards.

The Girls Empowerment Through (GET) Cricket program from Cricket PNG finished ahead of Hoops for Health (basketball) and League Bilong Laif (rugby league).

“Taking away the 2017 Community Sports Initiative award is a significant achievement for the Girls Empowerment Through Cricket program,” said Komang.

“This shows that the program has had social impact on the lives of our participants and also ripple effects to the wider community.

“I would also like to congratulate League Blo Laif and Hoops for Health for a job well done, being nominated is a great achievement for all of us.”

The GET Kriket Program is a sports development program supported by the Australian Government through the Pacific Sports Partnership Program.

The Program targets secondary school age girls and has two main aims; to increase female participation in playing hard ball cricket and empower them through educational sessions conducted by various partners about social and health messaging.

“I was honoured and privileged to receive the awesome award on behalf of the Cricket PNG management and staff.

“This award is a motivation to my team of officers to work hard and empower more young girls and women in the communities,” said Komang.

The GET Program was launched in 2015 and in its second year, the program reached over 500 female participants in NCD.

“2016 was a stepping stone for the program; as it was just launched in 2015. We had a few setbacks but we managed to deliver the program effectively in six secondary schools around NCD with more than five hundred female participants.

“Also as part of the program, we conducted community awareness such as our City Pharmacy PNG Lewas who say ‘NO TO VIOLENCE’ against women.

“Also our campaign in Gabi, Hanuabada village and the Mother’s Day Cricket Carnival, Biggest Morning Tea with the PNG Cancer Foundation and POM Cricket Association.

“In our Campaigns, we use the Lewas team as role models to drive these campaigns in the communities,” said Komang.

Komang also thanked the Institute of Business Studies (IBS), Anglicare PNG, Coalition for Change PNG, NCD Health, and NCD Taekwondo for their support and commitment in delivering the educational sessions for the program.

“I would also like to acknowledge the Australian Government through the Pacific Sports Partnership Program for their support through funding this remarkable sports development program, to empower the young girls and women in the communities.

“This program surely contributes towards accelerating PNG’s gender equally agenda,” concluded Komang.  

Author: 
Press release