UPNG student donates gear to community

A SECOND-year law student donated sporting gear, including balls and other accessories, to a community league in Southern Highlands.
University of PNG student Misek Ekai handed over K5,000 worth of items to the Nipa’s Nembi Valley Grassroots Rugby league last week.
The competition’s 12 teams are expected to receive a share of the gear.
Ekai said he was compelled to help the league after a recent visit to his village where he saw youths playing without proper gear.
He said he hoped the donation boosted the competition and motivated the players.
“I saw the craving they had to play. They were happy playing while the community cheered for them,” he said.
Ekai said sport was a useful activity as it took youths away from drinking homebrewed alcohol and smoking marijuana which was common in the Poroma and Nembi Plateau local level governments (LLGs).
Ekai called on other educated members of Nipa and the rest of the province to do their part in helping their communities.
He urged people not to rely on their elected representatives to give them everything and instead to use their initiative to create their own opportunities and to work hard.
Ekai added that such competitions also allowed people to congregate and sell and market food and other items to earn money.
Community leaders in the LLGs commended Ekai and welcomed others, with the same intentions to help their fellow Nipas.