By SHEILA LASIBORI
AN EIGHTEEN-year-old student who walked the famous Kokoda Track to Port Moresby so his family could survive on the little relief supplies they have, now needs assistance to return to Popondetta to complete his studies.
Wilford Sulu from a mixed parentage of Pongoro and Utukiairi within the Sohe district in the Oro province is supposed to complete Year 12 at the Martyr’s Secondary School in Popondetta.
With just two weeks of holidays left before students attend classes on Jan 28, Wilford needs to return in time for school.
He told The National that his family residing at the East Ambogo block had advised that they could not purchased his airline ticket to return to Popondetta as they were not able to sell their oil palm, a source of cash income.
“I am thinking of completing my studies so I need to go back to Popondetta.
“I cannot walk back on the track because it was a first-time experience for me and it was very hard and tiring,” Wilford said.
He is appealing to any member of the general public to meet airline costs for himself and 20-year-old Wani Maisia from Tufi and Pongoro parentage who also resides with his family at the same block.
The duo accompanied a group of Port Moresby-based youths from Popondetta and walked the track arriving last Dec 23.
Eva Haro, 19, from the Gulf province, was part of the Sabama Joyce Bay youth group who walked to Oro last September.
Eva said the group had traveled to Popondetta to refresh their minds from the busy NCD in the hope that it would assist them to leave good lives away from trouble.
The duo assisted youth members to cross flood devastated and damaged waterways including the Kumusi River and now need to return home before Jan 28 for Wilford to resume his schooling.