Hungry youths grab lifeline

JETHNIEL Sukua, 14, from Zogari village thanked God as he packed his bag to leave for Bundi to continue his education.
Life in the care centre in Potsdam was always a struggle for everyone because a person is not always free to look for food, go hunting or do gardening.
There are always boundaries that limits personal freedoms.
When Sukua was invited to go to Bundi to attend Kurumbukari Primary School, he did not waste time.
He packed his bag quickly, got on a PMV with 29 other boys on Friday and to travelled to Madang.
He’s looking forward to attending a good school where teachers are available daily and there is enough food.
His cousin Peter Momai said that back in the care centre, young boys like him and Sukua would steal coconuts and food from people’s gardens to survive.
“We took drugs and homebrew just to relief ourselves from the struggles in life at the care centre. We had no choice,” he said.
They is Tabele Primary School in the care centre but most pupils dropped out of school because they could not concentrate.
Everyday was a styruggle
Most times they don’t have food for breakfast and the teachers oftemn disappears.
Paul Sevuru, from Danagari village in Kurumbukari, made friends with Sukua, Momai and other boys from Zogari village in the Potsdam care centre.
Sevuru realised the hardships and struggles his friends were going through and made up his mind to help .
He returned to his village in Bundi and told the villagers there about the unfortunate children of Manam Island at the care centre.
Danagari villagers agreed that they will look after the care centre children in family homes and enrolled them at Kurumbukari Primary School.
On Friday, 30 boys including Sukua and Momai, left Madang for Bundi.
Danagari village spokesman Issack Yogae said families in Danagari would “foster” two or three boys each.
“We felt sorry for the Manam people and this is how we Bundis can help them,” Yogae said.
“We will allocate land to them for gardening and if their parents come to look for them, we will accommodate them too,” he said.
“This arrangement was made without the knowledge of the government or authorities. It’s a youth-to-youth initiative.”