Single mother happy to see Komo changing for better

BILPA Gende, from Kangula village, shifted her focus to providing for her family three years ago when her husband passed away.
Now every Sunday morning, Bilpa walks two hours to Komo Station in Hela to sell her garden produce.
“I have five children and come to Komo Market to sell food to pay for my youngest daughter’s school fees,” she said.
“Today, I am selling muli (mandarins) as they are in season now.
“But I usually come to sell onions, beans, and sweet potatoes.
“I sell what I can.”
Since Komo youth leaders gave the local rugby league competition a new lease of life earlier this year, Komo market has been buzzing with new activities.
“This place (Komo) has changed after the tribal differences and the earthquake,” Gende said.
“I am happy to see that we, mothers, can walk freely and come here to market.
“In the past, it was never like this.”
Gende is one of more than 50 mothers who can now leave the safety of their homes and villages to walk to church and then to the market each Sunday.
“After church, I pack my food, leave home and arrive here just before lunch,” she explained.
“Once the game ends at around 6pm, I join other mothers and walk back to my village.
“I feel safer now and I arrive home as late as 8pm.”
Gende is seeing the changes that youth leaders are bringing to Komo through rugby league and the way local youths are engaging in sports – something they had not seen before.
“I am happy with the police and army bringing security here,” she said.
“Also, to ExxonMobil PNG for supporting the rugby game so that mothers like me can come to make money for our families.”
Christina Simon, a player for the Elawi Mermaids women’s touch team, is also excited about the change in Komo.
“When we started, we had as many as 10 teams coming from as far as Tari (about 2 hours’ drive away), but due to the distance and bus fares, we now have only eight teams playing,” she said.
Simon recalled how the first touch game, held early last year, was a breakthrough for women in Komo.
She commended the work of community leaders for their presence and stand to promote peace in Komo.