Firm spent K1.4mil on projects

Business
NiuPower Ltd has spent US$406,000 (K1.4 million) since 2019 on its community investment programme in Central, says chief executive officer Michael Uiari. Uiari told The National that the energy generation company’s investments covered education sponsorship, agriculture and livestock, skills training for women, donations and clean water supply and sanitation. Business reporter DALE LUMA writes:
Michael Uiari

NIUPOWER chief executive officer Michael Uiari said as one of the company’s highlights for the year, the main objectives of the community investment programme (CIP) were to work in partnership with the Central government.
This is done through the ward development committee (WDC) with the project impacted communities to foster partnerships in implementing meaningful and sustainable community projects.
He said it was also to ensure that ownership of any project remained with the government and the impacted communities and to mitigate any social impacts that the Port Moresby power project might bring about by engaging the community in community programmes.

NiuPower external affairs manager Wellington Bellawa presenting sewing machines to the women of the Boera village in Central. A 10-day life skills training course was launched at the village yesterday. This is part of NiuPower’s community investment programme called Skills Training for Women. – Picture supplied

The project, which started in 2019, covers some key areas which include:

  • EDUCATION sponsorship.
    “Education assistance will be limited to supporting schools in the project community with library books for lower grades,” Uiari told The National.
    “In terms of scope, partners are the Central government’s education section and individual students.
    “What does the joint venture get in return? It leaves a long-lasting legacy of an educated population.
    “The implementation is outsourced with in-house assistance with funding sourced coming from the project and the district development authority (DDA).”
  • AGRICULTURE and livestock domestic (vegetable and animal husbandry).
    “This is to do with vegetable farming and animal husbandry called the vegetable farming and animal husbandry project,” he said.
    “The project targets villages in the project impact areas (PIAs) and particularly women.
    “This is to set up model vegetable farms/nurseries in Central for interested farmers to use as a demonstration/training farm for example, farming cassava.
    “Also the introduction of chickens both layers meat birds – preferably astrolabes.
    “Priority is to be given to the households to sustain the families.
    “Any surplus will be sold to local markets or company camps. Funding will go towards meeting the cost of trainers.
    “The partners in the project are the Central government, agriculture and health sections and target villages. It is aimed at promoting a sustainable income generating project in which camps can be supplied with fresh garden vegetables and eggs.
  • SKILLS training for women.
    “Skills Training for Women targets villages in the PIA and particularly women.
    “The project is aimed at conducting skills training for women in sewing cooking, baking and animal husbandry and vegetable farming.
    “Funding will go towards meeting the cost of specialist trainers.
    “Again, this is done in partnership with the Central government in promoting a sustainable income generating project to supply camps.
  • DONATIONS
    “This is a one-off programme where various items like basic sporting equipment, sewing machines, medical equipment, schools office equipment and library books are donated to schools and organisations with whom we interact,” Uiari said.
    “Funding will go towards purchase of such items. This is a discretionary gesture not consistent with any programme.
    “Partners are the Central government and the DDA as part of being a good corporate citizen and supporting various groups.
    “Implementation is done in-house with funding sourced from the project and the DDA.”
  • CLEAN Water Supply and Sanitation.
    “It provides clean drinking water by providing water tanks to existing buildings identified by the community as catchments.
    “This is also done in partnership with the Central government and the DDA. This is done to support livelihood projects for a healthy population.
    “Implementation is done in-house with funding sourced from the project and the DDA.”
    Uiari said the CIPs had benefitted Kido, Lelea, Papa, Boera and Porebada villages.