Kokoda Track Foundation (KTF)

In a ceremony presided over by former politician Dame Carol Kidu. The event brought together key stakeholders including KTF representatives, local leaders, and community members.

Dame Carol Kidu expressed her longstanding commitment to establishing the Library Learning Centre at Tutu, particularly to serve the marginalized Motu Koita community.

Despite the centre's scheduled opening in March, the registration for the FODE program has begun, marking a crucial step towards providing essential educational opportunities.

Mt Koiari FODE College, a beacon of hope officially established in 2022, proudly announces the successful conclusion of year-end exams for grades 9 to 12. A commendable 41 students have collectively conquered over 300 subject examinations, marking a transformative leap for education accessibility.

The event gathered local community members, government and non-government partners, and donors at the Kokoda FODE College and Kou Kou Community to witness the diverse range of life-changing projects currently being implemented along the Kokoda Track and broader Oro Province.

KTF's chief executive officer, Dr. Genevieve Nelson, reminisced on the significant turning point in 2012 when Kokoda veterans, Bede Tongs, George Palmer, Owen Baskett and Garnet Tobin initiated the journey.

The program, now in its 13^th year, aims to identify and nurture the next generation of dedicated and passionate leaders in PNG. These 11 outstanding individuals were chosen out of 300 applicants for their potential after undergoing a rigorous selection process.

The Canadian government, via the Canada Fund, and the Australian government, through the Australian NGO Cooperation Program (ANCP), have generously supported this program.

Recently, KTF's Port Moresby team hosted the Canadian Deputy High Commissioner to Australia, Manon Dumas, in its offices during her first official visit to PNG. KTF expressed gratitude to the Deputy High Commissioner for her support of the Canada Fund for Healthy Communities and other KTF initiatives, such as Strongim Meri Bisnis and Project Airborne.

The PNG Olympic Committee in partnership with the Kokoda Track Foundation (KTF), Grassroots Soccer (GRS) supports the program. The Australian Government further backs the K4K Program through their Development Program ‘Team Up’.

The program is aimed at introducing an evidence-based sport for development (S4D) program that will empower adolescents to make better decisions about their health-seeking behaviours, the facilitation of youth-friendly service provision, while promoting inclusive and gender equality through sport in the communities.

Newcrest has been a sponsor of the program for several years, however, in 2021 has doubled its support from two scholarships to four and has committed to providing the additional funding for the next three years.

In many villages dotted along the Northern Beaches of Northern Province, wells were emptied or destroyed while other local water sources polluted by upriver debris during the quake.

Without access to their regular source, communities faced the option of walking to their nearest clean water source, or risk relying on brackish, potentially contaminated water. In addition to facing damage to some of their houses, women from the village of Killerton were having to walk along the coast to Sananada to fetch water for their families.

This year, Joyce has made four trips to the Kokoda College from her village in the middle of the Kokoda Trail, crossing high rivers during the rainy season and trekking 50km each way via one of the country’s most arduous and gruelling tracks.

Over on the other side of the country, Jason from Togoa village, in Western Province, travels 4 hours each day to get to the Balimo College, paddling 40km in a dinghy, followed by a 1.5 hour walk to reach the campus. He does not have relatives in Balimo and therefore must commute each day.

Papua New Guinea Special Purpose Authority, the Kokoda Track Authority (KTA), and international development NGO, the Kokoda Track Foundation (KTF), have teamed up to fund the parent contribution project fees for more than 1,850 primary school students from all eligible KTA wards along and around the Kokoda Track.