Western Highlands youths to walk and raise funds for community hall

THIRTY-five youths and five Lutheran pastors from Kendak Village in Dei district, Western Highlands, are to walk the Kokoda Track to raise money to complete a community hall started by the Melpa Lutheran church 10 years ago.
The group will travel to Lae on Thursday and onto Popondetta before walking the Kokoda Track to Port Moresby.
Group chairman Sandy Sanangke said the walkathon was to raise money to complete an unfinished community hall left partially built since 2002.
He said the building was a locally-initiated project for the community but there was no funding from any outside source to complete it.
“There is no one to help us fund the project and now we see that we have a responsibility to take ownership to finish it,” he said.
He said the villagers had tried their best to complete the community hall for over 10 years but simply lacked the money.
Melpa Lutheran church district three president Nicholas Tom encourage the youths and the pastors that God would take care of them on the walk.
They youths said they needed to raise more than K100,000 to complete the hall and they appealed to business houses and individuals in the electorate and province, including their local MP and Minister for Civil Aviation Puri Ruing and Governor Tom Olga, to help.
Anyone willing to help can contact Sanangke on 7268 2678, treasurer Samson Rei on 7268 9624 or the secretary Rex Moses on 7352 2028.
People can make donations through their account: Youth account number 501000004784, Nationwide Micro Bank, Mt Hagen branch.
The group will be in Port Moresby for few weeks before returning home on March 8.