Permanent houses planned for coffee growers in Chimbu

FIVE members of the Angra Coffee under Apo Angra Angna Kange (AAAK) Coffee in Chimbu shed tears of joy after their dreams of owning a permanent house finally turned into a reality.
A new Lucas walkabout saw mill was delivered to their Koglai Base Camp in Barengigl in Gembogl, Chimbu, last week.
Newly elected chairman of Koglai Cluster 12 of the Angra Coffee Corporative Paul Witne thanked the management of AAAK for maintaining the organisation’s stand to deliver permanent houses to members who are saving up money they earned from selling coffee.
He said it would be a dream come true when the families of small coffee farmers received the keys to their new permanent houses.
Witne said they were using the mill to saw timber from their own trees in the village.
They then purchased roofing irons, sheet metals, nails and other building materials from  the money they saved with AAAK when they sold their coffee.
Director of Koglai cluster Ben Siwi applauded the gesture of the AAAK group and commended them for their achievements.
AAAK general manager Brian Kuglame maintained that the first five farmers qualified to get permanent houses were the ones who had fulfilled the set requirements
He said apart from saving money for medical expenses, school fees and emergency needs, money was also saved for farmers’ families to build permanent buildings or homes for themselves.
“The money for your new house did not come from anywhere, the money came out from your soil where the coffee is growing.
“Your hardwork has finally paid off and now you will have your own homes built from trees in the village,” Kuglame said.
AAAK fulfilled the cooperative motto brukim baksait, holim graun na stretim sindaun (bend down, tilt the land and improve your living standard).
Kuglame congratulated the first five members who are now using the mill to saw timber to build their houses and urged other members to work hard to save money and do the same for their families.