Lagai do it for themselves

By PISAI GUMAR

 

THE Lagai ward, 30km in the outback of Menyamya district, Morobe, has, for the first time, seen 50 men and women graduate through the Yangpela Didiman training enriching village farmers with self-sustainable knowledge and skills, The National reports.

The training was to train village farming leaders to recognise available resources within themselves and utilise surrounding environment to improve village livelihood.

“Despite inaccessibility to road, health, education, communication and clean water, we are committed and striving for success to improve our village life through agriculture,” trainer in charge Isso Angapase said.

Angapase, who led the participants to cut a 2km bench track in seven days to link Kwaplalim to Menyamya station, said the participants had achieved something through their own hard work rather than waiting for it to happen.

The participants, comprising of 11 women and 39 men, also had three elderly men, a woman in late 60s and four middle-aged men.

The 10-month training covered both theory and practical knowledge and skills training in aquaculture and agriculture, micro-finance and community development courses.

They also learnt about micro-finance, where they found out more about credit union schemes and treasurer’s roles and responsibilities.

Community development training included food, nutrition and health, personal, environment, health and hygiene, HIV/AIDS, usefulness of environment, stewardship, sewing machine maintenance and basic sewing, community development planning including how to critically recognise and understand impacts of so-called developments.

Lutheran development service Yangpela Didiman training coordinator Jasaking Kigasung said the training was purposely to enrich underprivilege villagers to take pride and look within themselves, utilise available strengths to help themselves, families and the community.

“Basically, it is focusing at food security, we need to assess and understand crop values that will produce desired outcomes in consumption and economic terms to sustain livelihoods,” Kigasung said.

“To improve livelihoods, we have to change integrally, meaning mentally, spiritually and physically.

“With knowledge and skills attain, we can contribute ideas and mobilise resources collectively.”