Bundi

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 ambulance was funded by the Sir Brian Bell Foundation in partnership with the Kumura Foundation.

Over 4,000 people from all over Bundi and Simbu, including Jimi, gathered at Snow Pass to witness what would be a major leap in the provision of basic healthcare services in this remote part of the Central Bismarck Range.

Upper Bundi has never had an ambulance to transport the critically ill and injured to hospital. Hence, many have died from basic treatable diseases.

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.

On December 5^th, a 17-member medical team from Simbu saw a total of 260 patients and referred 107 patients.

Of these, six patients were referred to remote Brahman Health Centre in Lower Bundi, five to Gembogl Health Centre in Simbu and 97 to the Sir Joseph Nombri Memorial Simbu Provincial Hospital in Kundiawa.

The team conducted a major rural outreach medical program at Snow Pass, Bundi, in partnership with Kumura Foundation, a local community-based organisation (CBO) of Bundi.

On Tuesday, October 20^th, the Kumura Foundation met with Mark Kumul, the principal of the Kundiawa Community Health Worker Training School, to enrol students from Bundi’s seven remote villages to start training in 2021.

“Three more students of Bundi will be enrolled at the Simbu School of Nursing next year, bringing the total number of students undertaking health trainings to 10,” said founder Vincent Kumura.

“The students’ education will be sponsored by the Sir Brian Bell Foundation.

The twenty-four children, who are schooling in Simbu, are currently on their second term break.

On Tuesday, July 7^th, they left Gembogl, Simbu, at 9:30am.

“On our way to Goroka, we stopped at Daulo Top for some scenic views and group photo sessions,” reported founder of Kumura Foundation, Vincent Kumura.

The Kumura Foundation’s “Travel2Change” team on Thursday treated a young man from remote Emigari village suffering from appendicitis.

“The patient has been down for 1 week now,” reported Vincent Kumura.

“There is acute inflammation and the patient is in extreme pain, unable to sleep. Fortunately, there is no rupture yet or he will die.

The group, consisting of 128 boys, were in town to support candidate contesting the Usino-Bundi Open seat Vincent Kumara and decided to clean up the town as part of their community service.

As a community and youth leader back at Bundi, Kumara was pleased to see the youths do something productive while waiting for the election results in Madang Town.

With the theme "Carpe Diem" or "Sieze the Day", the boys did a 2.5km Sunday morning walkathon from Bukbuk to Tusbab beach picking up rubbish along the way.

Kumura recently launched the first eco-tourism product in the remote mountain village of Snow Pass in Bundi, Madang Province.

The Richmond Haus lodge is located at mid-point between the majestic Ramu plains and the lofty ridges of Mt. Wilhelm.

Local and international visitors can enjoy the peaceful scenery as it is a major transition point for migrating birds passing up and down.

The eco-lodge specialises in offering eco-tourism products and services such as tracking, bird watching, star gazing, culture and the rich flora and faunas.

The outreach program, an initiative of 2016 Digicel PNG Foundation Men of Honour Community Ingenuity Awardee Vincent Kumura, will be carried out by a five member team of medical doctors.

The medical team consists of two Americans, one eye specialist from Madang and two doctors from the Kundiawa General Hospital.

The total cost for this rural medical expedition down the Ramu River and the trip up to Snow Pass, Bundi and to Kundiawa, which will take 10 days, will cost K10,000.

These include vehicle hire, motor, fuel, food, skipper allowance and security.