Race where a nation stops, and a new life starts

The National Weekender

BEING a man of the land, I have been fortunate to be part of some major milestones via Trukai Industries’ domestic rice production program. Our continued investment in this area is making a profound difference to farming communities around PNG, which I have been able to witness first-hand.
But it is when the private sector grasps the opportunity to become involved in sponsorship programs which connect whole communities that you can see some wonderful outcomes. Outcomes that go beyond your day-to-day scope of work.
The 2018 edition of PNG’s biggest sporting and social event, the Trukai Fun Run, was launched last week at the Royal Papua Yacht Club in Port Moresby. Again, we are excited about the potential change our own “race that stops a nation” can engineer on numerous levels within local communities.
Historically, the Trukai Fun Run is the major annual fundraising event for the Papua New Guinea Olympic Committee, which raises much needed funds for Team PNG athletes to participate at various international sporting events.Its status is little wonder when you consider that an estimated 90,000 participants took part in 2017 throughout seven centres nationwide.
The annual Fun Run event is a PNG Olympic Committee initiative, which commenced 35 years ago in 1983. For Trukai Industries, this will be our 19th year in sponsoring the Trukai Fun Run and we have been blessed with the support of generous partners throughout that time, particularly in the corporate community.
This year of course is the Commonwealth Games to be held in Australia, on the beautiful Gold Coast, from April 4th-15th. With the 2018 version of the iconic Trukai Fun Run T-Shirt now on sale, funds raised from this year’s T-Shirt sales will assist Team PNG to compete at the Games.
Last year K500,000 was raised for Team PNG to compete at the 2017 Pacific Mini-Games in Vanuatu.
Then there is the effect of the Fun Run on the broader community. Each year Fun Run fundraising auctions are held whereby the public and private sectors get the opportunity to support not only the elite athlete but local schools and rotaries. The funds generated at these auctions enable schools to earn additional income for important school projects and much needed equipment. Which all adds up to better quality education at school.
This year the auctions will be held on Wednesday, 7th March in Lae and Thursday, 8th March in Port Moresby.
And finally, there is what a difference this event can make to the life of the individual. For almost 15 years the Institute of Business Studies (IBS), a national leader in providing quality education with its various academic programs in the country, has supported the PNG Olympic annual Trukai Fun Run by awarding Scholarships as prizes to participants of the Trukai Fun Run who enter into a draw by filling in an entry form during the Fun Run event.
These forms go into the draw and for these luckywinners, it can be life-changing because they receive a scholarship for six months from IBS to study at their campus in Port Moresby.
These scholarships are for Certificate programs that have traditionally been in Accounting, Computing, Marketing and Human Resource Management, and they provide the springboard to a meaningful career for these Fun Run participants.
Any event that manages to make a difference to our sporing heroes, our local communities and individuals within those communities is worth supporting. We look forward to seeing you at the Trukai Fun Run and again making it the jewell in PNG’s sporting and social crown.

  • Humphrey Saese is Rice Development Manager for Papua New Guinea’s leading rice supplier, Trukai Industries. Humphrey welcomes reader feedback or new story suggestions at [email protected]