New footbridge relief for school children

By PETER WARI
SCHOOL children from Kar and surrounding villages in Nipa-Kutubu, Southern Highlands, will no longer miss class or get home late when the River Nembi bursts its banks as they now have a new footbridge.
The construction of the footbridge, which was funded by the district, has been completed and will be opened soon.
Grade six student Timon Tepnis said during heavy rainfall, students who lived on the other side of the river missed half a day of class while waiting for the water to subside.
“If it’s raining while we’re at school, we (students) go home late in the night or sleep with relatives on the other side,” he said.
“The struggle to cross the river has been an ongoing issue for many years and it’s affected our learning.
“Today, this struggle is over.”
Elder brother Solomon said the 2,000-plus people living in the Kar ward and surrounding villages of Poroma local level government would benefit from having a footbridge constructed.
He said the river ran through the agriculture-rich valley.
“Peoples’ lives improve when they have access to good footbridges and roads; that makes it easy for them to access health facilities, markets and other Government services,” he said.
“The province has fast-flowing rivers and there are thousands of people who need similar help from their educated elites, LLG presidents and their local MPs.”
Solomon said the Government was now giving priority to agriculture and small and medium enterprise activities and for that to become a reality, improved road infrastructure was important.