Kurere a role model for youths

By CLARISSA MOI
AT 23, University of PNG third-year Economics student Kurere Matanzana has already been awarded the Digicel Man of Honour for a project he initiated to benefit young people.
He is also the driver of other similar projects.
Kurere is from Bilia village in Madang.
Dad Nema Mondiai is the assistant commissioner of police in charge of the Highlands region Eastern End.
“He is a humble, gracious, kind, loving man and has a really good work ethics. He’s very honest, transparent, accountable and a man of integrity.”
His mother Rachael Matanzana works as a secretary for a company in Madang.
“She is a diligent, decent and noble woman who worked so hard to raise me and my brother. The people who are involved in my life’s journey are angels who I will cherish, honour and appreciate. They helped me find purpose in life by providing mentorship, training – the fatherly and motherly figures that I run to in times of trouble.”

“ God and education can cause a breakthrough one’s life regardless of one’s socio-economic background or upbringing.”“ God and education can cause a breakthrough one’s life regardless of one’s socio-economic background or upbringing.”

Kurere completed his secondary education at Tusbab Secondary School in Madang in 2017, and was accepted by the UPNG the following year.
Kurere is a member of the Tertiary Student Christian Fellowship and the Muscle Campaign which serves as a platform for university students to voice their concerns about issues such as gender-based violence, corruption, social disorder and immoral activities in society.
He is an ambassador of The Voice Inc’s Clean Generation campaign, a non-government organistaion that focuses on building young minds to be the change they wish to see in the world.
He is also a member of the Young Missionary Alliance which trains and sends young people into rural communities to minister the word of God.
He also started the students-tutoring-students project for students attending UPNG, Pacific Adventist University, University of Technology, and the University of Goroka to mentor secondary school students.
He was awarded Digicel’s Young Man of Honor last year because of that project.
He is also the founder of the Manam appeal movement which used the UPNG Madang Students Association to drive changes at the care centres.
Kurere also initiated an annual clean-a-thon in Madang town called the Niupela Madang, Niupela PNG campaign which has been running for five years now.
He wants to see young people be part of the solution to issues in the country, be good citizens and positive role models.
Looking back, deaths of loved ones in the family really shook him. It made him value his family and life more.
“The circumstances that led me to where I am now were the passing away of my grandparents, my aunt from domestic violence, and my only brother Eugene who died at the age of 20 from a curable disease.”
He viewed the loss of his brother as the “most significant moment in my life”.
“The news came as a shock to me and it shook me to the core and really tested my faith. I want to make sure that no young person will ever face the same fate like my younger brother and aunt.”
Kurere wants to be a role model to young people and a testimony to the fact that “God and education can cause a breakthrough in one’s life regardless of one’s socio-economic background or upbringing”.
Kurere regards Jesus as his greatest role model and encourages those struggling in life to always trust God as he is the answer to all life’s problems. A perfect role model.