All in the name of charity

Weekender

By PETER KORUGL
It takes someone with a good heart to go out into the community to look after those that are suffering in various ways through these hard times.
In a city like Port Moresby, we have in our midst, good people with the love, care and compassion to share and care for those in need and many of those are found in charity organisations like the Cheshire Home, City Mission and others.
One such organisation that is not so popular but is doing some great work in the community is the St Vincent de Paul Society (SVDP), a Catholic faith-based charity organisation that is doing much good work in the community in Port Moresby.
SVDP Society has a mission to serve the most vulnerable, poor, needy, unfortunates and the marginalised members of our communities to enhance their lives.
The organisation has been engaged in charity and advocacy work since 2008 and in 2010, in partnership with the SVDP Society, Australia, distributed books to schools to several provinces throughout PNG, and currently works in partnership with one of PNG’s most successful state owned enterprises, PNG Ports Corporation Ltd to run various community outreach programmes in Port Moresby.
“We run the feeding programme at the Laloki Psychiatrist Hospital, supply non-perishable foods and health hygiene items to female inmates and their children at Bomana jail, food and toiletries to victims of gender-based violence in Haus Ruth, food and toiletries to disadvantage children under the care of City Mission at Bautama and Holy Name of Jesus Parish at Bomana,” president of SVDP Society, Salome Kair Aba said.
In a report to PNG Ports on its activities, Aba said SVDP Society charity work touched up to 500 lives annually through its various programmes throughout the city, using the financial sponsorship provided by the state owned entity.
The SVDP Society says there are between 30 to 60 patients at any given time at the Laloki hospital outside Port Moresby that require food as they are neglected members of society.
“They need love, care and compassion. We could have done more, however we are restricted with what we can do because there are other humanitarian programmes we also undertake in the community and our resources are limited,” Aba said
In its report, SVDP Society gave an insight to the situation with these disadvantage people. Apart from the patients at the country’s only psychiatric hospital, there are victims of domestic or gender-based violence that are seeking refuge at Haus Ruth, located at Ela Beach that need help on a daily basis.
“For Haus Ruth, SVDP Society provided rice, tinned foods, biscuits, soap, toiletries, coffee, sugar and other essential items.
“We also provided various food types, toiletries, gardening tools like forks, bush knives, hoes, spades, rakes and other essential items to City Mission. We also provided bails of clothing, food and drinks to the children at Holy Name of Jesus Parish at Bomana.”
Aba said PNG Ports provided a total funding of K16,000 towards SVDP Society to carry out these outreach programmes and expect this partnership to continue into 2019 and onwards.
“We acknowledge and thank PNG Ports and especially its managing director Mr Stanley Alphonse for their wonderful support. Without this support, we would not go far and this is a beautiful demonstration of a successful SOE being involved with the community at this level in PNG.”
Aba said they were encouraged by the support they received from PNG Ports and have planned more activities for 2019 and onwards. Apart from its existing programmes, SVDP Society wants to extend its goodwill to House of Hope at Ela Beach, Bomana Prison outreach to include the male wing, City Mission boys centre at Bautama outside Port Moresby, and visits to Port Moresby General Hospital.
“We have requested PNG Ports to support us fund these additional programmes. We believe we will get their support, because what we are doing is consistent with some of the core values this state owned entity has to empower our people to enjoy good, healthy and productive lives,” Aba said.

  • Peter Korugl is the Corporate Communications Manager at PNG Ports Corporation Ltd.