Mission offers care, shelter to poor youth

 City Mission, a charity non-governmental organisation, provides more than 1000 meals daily and accommodates 400-plus underprivileged, mistreated youths through its new life-skill training centre, an official says.

Executive assistant of the charity home, Dorothy Koch-Waluta said the organisation had opened its doors in 1993 with a broad aim to house, feed and offer spiritual direction to troubled young men on the streets of Port Moresby.

This quickly expanded with the addition of Mirigeda Farm where the young men could get away from the temptations of the city.

“This farm is now the facility for new life-skills training focusing on training and rehabilitating the young men spiritually, mentally and physically,” Koch-Waluta said.

She said about 320 young men were involved in the programme in Port Moresby and Lae, the only two operating centre.

“About 50 per cent of these young men have no formal education, 10 per cent have made it at least to school while 40 per cent had a little bit of education but through this programme they were able to acquire skills training to sustain themselves.” 

She said following successful operation in the nation’s capital, City Mission started in Lae with the opening of the Suambu New Life Plantation in 2006. 

Buablung Hostel complemented the new life plantation by offering transitional housing for the young men who found work in town.