McBRO finance supports church project with K100,000

By GABRIEL KATUHO

McBRO Finance has contributed K100,000 towards the construction of a new church building at Sinsibai Sacred Heart Parish in Upper Nebilyer, Tambul-Nebilyer District, Western Highlands Province.

The locally owned financial company presented the cheque in Port Moresby this week as part of its ongoing support for community-based development projects.

Managing Director of McBRO Finance Ltd, Mr Thomas Dumu, said the company was pleased to give back to communities through initiatives that positively impact people’s lives.

“First, we donated K50,000 and that contributed significantly to the progress of the project. We felt the support needed to continue, so the management team of McBRO Finance Ltd decided to allocate another K100,000 this year,” he said.

Mr Dumu said the church project, estimated to cost K4 million, began about two to three years ago and remains an ongoing village-based initiative.

“We realised the community was struggling to build a church of this scale with such a high cost. They are seeking support from government organisations, private companies, and individuals, but additional funding is still needed to complete the project,” he said.

He added that the progress updates provided by the church fundraising team impressed the company and gave them confidence to continue supporting the project.

According to Mr Dumu, McBRO Finance Ltd has also supported several other community projects in the Upper Nebilyer area, including water supply systems, school ablution blocks, and library projects.

“These projects help create a better environment for people to live, worship, and access education. Ultimately, we want to contribute towards a healthier and more educated population,” he said.

Fundraising Secretary for the church project, Mr Anthony Gonol, thanked McBRO Finance for the financial assistance, saying it would strengthen efforts to complete the new church building.

Mr Gonol said the fundraising committee had been carrying out various fundraising activities, including food sales, ticket resales, and importing used vehicles from Japan for resale to raise funds.

Construction of the church began in 2023 and is now entering its third year, with more than K1 million already spent on the project.
Once completed, the new church building is expected to accommodate more than 500 parishioners and will include conference facilities, accommodation for priests, and housing for community ministers.

Mr Gonol said the church would serve a Catholic population of more than 10,000 people in the area, including two Catholic primary schools that use the church for religious education activities.

He expressed confidence that the church could be completed this year if the expected funding support is secured.