K10,000 for Kagamuga women

THE Kagamuga Airport Women’s Association has received K10,000 in funding from the Small Medium Enterprise Corporation (Smec) on Friday, its managing director Petrus Ralda says.
The association in Western Highlands was registered in 2002 and has 114 members, including two living with disabilities.
Ralda announced the funding at the closing of a two-week intensive training on “Start your business” participated by 76 people.
Association representative Theresia Andakit said the training was conducted through the hard work of the association but only four members participated.
“We appeal to Smec to organise another training for the 110 mothers who missed out,” she said.
“They are from different provinces and are church members of the Christian Apostolic Fellowship, one of the biggest church near the airport. We saw the need to support vulnerable mothers struggling to make ends meet at Tega Ward 7 in Mt Hagen Central and registered the association in 2002.
“After 10 years, we received K34,000 from the Australia government, five sewing machines and other equipment.”
She said it was the biggest gift from Australia and today many mothers and young girls were able to sew merry blouses for sale in Mt Hagen and other centres.
Andakit said they received nothing from the provincial government and Mt Hagen City authority.
“In 2016, we received K82,000 from the Australian Government again.”