Co-op revives joint community work

 THE Apo Angra and Kange Coffee Cooperative Society in Obura-Wonenara district, Eastern Highlands is reviving communal work practiced during colonial days.

It has mobilised cooperative members to help each other in cleaning and maintaining their coffee gardens using tools provided by the society

Apo members are from Eastern Highlands, Angra are from Chimbu and Kange from Jiwaka and Western Highlands. 

They are collectively called the AAK Coffee Cooperative.

More than 40 members from one of Apo’s camps in Mamarain village were the first to implement the community work concept.

AAK managing director Brian Kuglame gave them a surprise visit last Thursday and was overwhelmed by what they were doing.

“This is the most satisfying moment to see Apo members implementing the concept of community work,” he said.

Kuglame said they did not need the Government to come and tell them what to do.

He said the community work concept had been very popular in the colonial days but died down in the 70s and 80s.

“Community work is part of our culture. We need to help each other in not only coffee work but other garden work, building houses to sustain our lives,” Kuglame said.