Agency hosts back to school programme

A WEEK-long back-to-school programme organised by the Jiwaka Catholic education agency and the St Joseph Healing and Rehabilitation Home is currently underway near Banz in North Waghi.
Over 50 secondary school students were attending the youth oriented sessions which started on Monday at St Joseph Healing and Rehabilitation Home centre at Kumngana village near Banz.
Organiser Andrew Wau said, the sessions conducted were primarily based on brain development, youth in the church, ending violence against children and culture and environment.
It is the first of its kind to be conducted by the new centre which was initiated and launched by Wau and his wife Regina.
The couple, who are also child protection officers and attached to the Western Highlands Catholic Diocese, established the centre to provide counseling and welfare services for people in their village.
The programme is similar to those run by the Western Highlands Catholic Agency for troubled youths and people with marriage issues within the communities and the nearby areas of North Waghi.
Wau said people from public institutions and the churches have been invited to give lectures during the sessions.
“We want to change the common practice of back-to-school parties and gatherings hosted by parents themselves.
“What we are doing is helpful as we prepare their minds to look at life in a meaningful way.”
Wau said St Joseph Healing and Rehabilitation Home was a social structure primarily aimed at creating awareness, providing guidance, counselling and guidelines to youths and couples for positive parenting and better family living.
Wau explained that the centre had partnered with organisations like Unicef, the Catholic church and Menzies School of Health Research in Australia.