By GEORGINA MICHAEL
Trukai Industries has presented a Village Sustainability Kit (VSK) to one of its model farmers who participated in Trukai Smart Farmer Program.
John Pasi was one of the first batch of rice farmers trained at the PAU during the Trukai Smart Farmer training in January this year.
Mr Pasi participated in two weeks on-campus training and 18 weeks of practical off-campus training, and was recognized as one of the model farmers of the program. He was selected undergo three months internship training at Trukai Industries headquarters in Lae.
Up on his return to Port Moresby, he was presented with a VSK, which contained a solar powered rice mill, manual seeders, knapsacks, rice seedlings, spades and wheel burrow.
“On behalf of the Gerehu youths and myself as the first recipient of the kit, I truly appreciate Trukai Industries for recognising us and giving us the second opportunity in life.
“We were previously involved in criminal activities in the city and this program had gotten us involved in something more productive rather than being just aimless ‘street mangis’ in a notorious zone of Port Moresby.”
PAU site manager Thomas Tetu said: “During my facilitation with John, I have seen a big impact on the community, especially on the youths of the community, the ones that are doing nothing and involving in social activities that are not right, by getting them involved in this program is actually bringing them back.”
Gerehu community leader Edward Wesley added: “These boys have been involved in a lot of criminal activities in the city and now they have decided to change and do something better with their lives.
“Trukai, you are transforming lives, you are touching lives and you are actually helping these young youths to be able to find a destiny for themselves.”
Trukai agriculture manager Anna Davies said: “It is all because of your hard work, support and aim with the company for us to run this change into the community.”
She added that VSKs would be presented another four participants.
“I am looking forward to coming back and presenting this kit to each of you and we hope that you will follow what John has done and this will impact other parts of Geheru as well, as we all progress to the production of rice in PNG.”