Long walk to school pays off forTaeutai

By LULU MARK
THERE were no schools near his Meouna village in Tairora, Obura-Wonenara district, Eastern Highlands in the 1960s.
So Taeutai Matasilai, at the age of eight, left his family in the village and walked for miles to find a school to get an education.
That was in 1967. Today, Taeutai, 61, is one of the 34 health workers employed in the Correctional Institute Service clinics around the country.
“The fulfilling life I have lived would not be possible if I had not taken that walk to pursue education in 1967. The thirst for education was so strong that the kilometers spent walking did not matter.
“I heard there were these grades and I was determined to complete them although I couldn’t make it right through because I did not have school fees.”
Some of the staff are health extension officers and nurses while the rest are community health workers. Taeutai is an aid post orderly who has been working at the Bundaira Prison clinic for 32 years.
He joined the clinic in 1988 and has being running it singlehandedly after his colleague retired in 2002.
He was among 14 prison health workers who recently attended a training in Port Moresby on issues faced in prison and how to attend to inmates who need medical attention.
“I learnt a lot about Covid-19 during the training. I will go back and conduct awareness at the prison.”

“ The fulfilling life I have lived would not be possible if I had not taken that walk to pursue education in 1967.”

His father who was a Luluai (village chief) really wanted him to go to school. It was why Taeutai decided to take that long walk to Nombia in 1967.
He enrolled at the school there in 1968 and completed Grade Two in 1970. He moved to Omaura Village for grades 3 and 4, then to Kongkua in Kainantu for grades 5 and 6. He passed his exam and was sent to Kabiufa High School in 1975. But because of school fee problems, he returned to the village.
Later he returned to Kainantu to undertake the entry test for an aid post orderly training. He passed and went to the Aid Post Orderly Training School in Western Highlands.
He graduated in November 1976 and was posted to the Goroka Hospital where he worked in the outpatient department. In 1978, he was sent to work at the Lufa Health Centre and then to the Henganofi Health Centre in 1979.
In 1980, he was posted to Kainantu Rural Hospital and then to the Obura Evangelical Brotherhood Church health centre where he worked until 1985.
In 1988, he was posted to the Bundaira Correctional Institute Service clinic.
He set up his family there.
“I have eight children, including those I have adopted. They were all raised at Bundaira. It is home to me and my family.”
He loves to treat all patients the same.
“For me as a health worker, I treat everybody the same. It doesn’t matter if he or she is a prisoner. I enjoy my work at the prison clinic. I love what I do and I wouldn’t have it any other way.
“It is challenging at times especially when there is an outbreak of diseases such as typhoid or diarrhea in prison.
“Since I am the only one working there, I cannot attend to everyone so I call the Kainantu Hospital for help. Nurses will come and help me.”
Looking back, Taeutai is glad he left his family to take that long walk to find a school in 1967.
“My advice to young people is when your parents send you to school, be committed to your school work. Education will change your life.”