Women’s rights advocate dies

WELL-known Eastern Highlands women and children’s rights advocate Lucy Sakipa Baru, 55, has died at the Goroka Base Hospital after a short illness.
Ms Baru, who died last Saturday, was the president of the Goroka district Council of Women  from  1989-2002, and the vice-president of the provincial council of women.
She was also a one-time executive of the Young Women’s Christian Association.
Former Eastern Highlands education adviser Peter Hoyato announced Ms Baru’s death yesterday.
He said Ms Baru would be best remembered as an announcer with the National Broadcasting Corporation’s Radio Goroka.
She worked with NBC from 1973 to 2002.
“Ms Baru was a popular radio voice, hitting the airwaves where she was last employed as an announcer at the Karai Bilong Kumul (KBK) in Goroka,” Mr Hoyato said.
She also represented trade unions at the Goroka urban loca level government in 1999-2002 and was a provincial liquor licencing commissioner.
Mr Hoyato said her relatives were calling on the Government to recognise her contributions to the community and assist with funeral costs.
Ms Baru, a divorcee and mother of three had done a lot for her province and would be missed greatly by her family, friends and the people that she had come to work with.
Mr Hoyato said those who want to help could contact Ken Lumba or Koe Harokave on 7321217 or himself on 76817916, 7322242.