First-time experience for Bundi students

Weekender
EDUCATION
The children exiting after touring the cabin of Air Niugini Fokker 70 at the Goroka airport on Thursday, July 9. – Nationalpic by PETER ESILA

By PETER ESILA
THE 27 children, mostly orphans, from remote Bundi, Madang who visited the Air Niugini Fokker 70 on July 9 in Goroka will treasure the moment for the rest of their lives.
They were taken to Goroka by the Kumura Foundation and have since returned home to remote Mondia Bridge Transit House at the foot of Mt William, Chimbu.
They were given a special treat by the nation’s flag carrier and met pilots Captain Nama Mariole and First Officer Patrick Kiromat as well as cabin crew Delina Delabu and Gail Mollomb.
Eleven-year-old Willie Kuri expressed his excitement in meeting the pilots and watching an Air Niugini plane land for the first time.
He said they saw many new things for the first time in Goroka, met the pilots and entered the aircraft.
He said it was a story to tell for the rest of their lives.
Kiromat said: “We are humbled to have crossed paths and be a small part of the lives of these little children and the journey they’re taking. We need more professionals in the aviation industry and we hope we can be an inspiration to these kids. If we can inspire at least one of them, that’s good enough.”
The kids were also presented with a gift bag each containing Air Niugini merchandise. There was so much excitement, fun and laughter every step of the way.
These kids come from very remote areas of Bundi bordering Chimbu and Eastern Highlands, the disadvantaged areas where there are no basic health and education services. They are looked after by Kumura Foundation and reside at the Transit House at Mondia Bridge in the Kundiawa-Gembogl District while attending Irugl Primary School located at the foot of Mt Wilhelm.
The foundation raises funds to pay the kids’ tuition, feeds them and looks after them for the academic year.
Founder Vincent Kumura, who is a local from Bundi who came out and received education overseas thanked Air Niugini for making the kids’ dream come true, describing it as the highlight of their excursion in Goroka.
“Meeting the pilots will surely inspire and motivate them to work hard to reach their goals in life. This is really a pinnacle of their adventure. They were nervous and excited at the same time before the plane landed as they didn’t know what to expect. They will never forget this experience and will continue to tell other kids and the people back home,” Kumura said.
The children were in Goroka for a two-day excursion where they visited several organisations including a visit to the airport to see the Air Niugini aircraft. Their initial plan was to stand outside the fence at the airport to get a glimpse of the plane but Air Niugini was able to bring them to the tarmac and into aircraft where they also met the pilots and the cabin crew.
Their journey began on Monday, July 6 on foot for almost two hours from Mondia Bridge to Gembogl to catch a bus. It took them about another two hours to reach Kundiawa town and another four to five hours to Goroka.

Captain Nama Mariole leading the children to the Fokker 70 aircraft at the Goroka airport . – Picture courtesy of Air Niugini

They visited the University of Goroka, a coffee factory and finally the aircraft.
Kumura said: “For most of us, it is totally unexpected and for the kids, they are small and they would not connect the dots, but I am pretty sure, in 10 years’ time, they will put things together and it is really going to motivate them to become someone tomorrow.
“The kids come from various villages of Bundi, many are orphans and some from disadvantaged remote areas where there are no schools, to come to school. They had to walk for two to three days to get to Mondia Bridge, where we built a transit house where they are lodging while attending school.
“We need support for this noble mission, to build a dormitory, feed them and care for them.”
“We need a proper dorm and a classroom for the orphans including support for meals; they eat three meals per day
“The foundation supports them with the help of the Sir Brian Bell Foundation,” he said.
“Because Mt Wilhelm has access to roads, we brought them to Chimbu so as to provide a quality education environment so that they can stay and study and get a fair chance in life to shape the next generation of minds in PNG,” Kumura said.
Kumura Foundation is a non-governmental organisation which seeks to improve the livelihood of poor and disadvantaged people who not only live more than 120 km away from the main town of Madang, but lack a proper road network to enable them to move around places easier. Perched up high on the mountains of the Bismark Ranges, Bundi, is in fact, closer to Kundiawa, in Chimbu and Mt Hagen in Western Highlands. Goroka in Eastern Highlands, which it also shares borders with.
The children’s first airport and airplane experience was made even more special when they were surprisingly met by Prime Minister James Marape who was on the same flight from Port Moresby to Goroka to attend a Coffee Industry Corporation event. He took some time to greet and talk to the children.
These children also had the opportunity to witness for the first time a guard of honour by Asaro mudmen and media interviews with Post Courier, The National, EMTV and TV Wan.
“We are also inspired by what Vincent and the Kumura Foundation and all the work that they have done and are doing to improve lives of people in the remote communities in Bundi and especially the most vulnerable children,” Kiromat said.
It was nice treat for a group of children from a remote part of vast Papua New Guinea.

One thought on “First-time experience for Bundi students

  • Thumbs up for KUMURA Foundation for exposing these young rural guys to a “CULTURE SHOCK” experience.

    God Bless you all.

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