1. 3PNG Weekend, Friday, March 28, 2014
PNG WEEKEND inspirational story www.postcourier.com.pg
I
was amazed at how much the
people knew him when they
started shouting Assaf, Assaf
Assaf. Welcome back to Koroba!
The greeting started when the
small aircraft belonging to South
West Air landed at Tari at around
9:30am on Saturday, March 16 and
continued as we drove along the
dusty limestone road.
The group comprised of three
journalists from The National,
the Sunday Chronicle and the Post-
Courier, with Mickey Kavera from
EMTV and a media consultant
with the representatives from the
Innovative Agro Industry Limited.
Assaf Abergel was the logistics
manager of the Israeli-based com-
pany who was driving us to the
farm. We were on a news trip ac-
companying 4500 chicks to the new
intensive farm in Koroba District
in Hela Province.
The two hours on the plane and
another two on the road have tak-
en its toll on us and we were very
tired.
I had to force myself not to fall
asleep because I wanted to catch a
glimpse of the new place. At first I
was expecting to see a lush tropi-
cal rainforest but the sight of the
casuarinas on the hillside posed
a different story. Also the much
talked about LNG project made me
think I was going to see a different
scenario but the trip showed me
otherwise.
Our destination was a 2O-hectare
project area located on section 24
in the Koroba Township. The in-
tensive farm had a nursery and
ten fully equipped greenhouses
using the latest irrigation and fer-
tilisation technologies where a va-
riety of fruits and vegetables will
be grown. They also set up small
weather station to monitor the
amount of rainfall and humidity in
the area.
I was impressed at the sight of the
farm. As soon as we arrived the
chicks were transferred in a build-
ing and were vaccinated and fed at
the same time. You could see the
smiles on the people’s faces as they
spoke to the Israelis.
I was excited to see the nursery
and everything on the farm be-
causeitremindedmeofmydadwho
was an agriculture extension of-
ficer. I had developed an interest in
agriculture and that was the main
reason why I chose to visit Hela on
that day. Even though friends cau-
tioned me about the dangers of go-
ing to the place the thought of see-
ing a new place brushed away that
fear.
The first question I asked the
locals went something like this:
“Where is Mendi valley?” How long
does it take to travel from here to
there?” They were interested and
began answering by saying do you
have relatives living there? “No,
I’m a big fan of Augustine Emil,” I
replied with a smile.” Oh then he’s
a naiko,” they told me.
I kept assuring myself I was
gonna be okay because of the pres-
ence of men holding very long bush
knives. Anyway I made friends
with some of the locals.
In fact one of the women I met
was married to a man from Oro so
it sort of created a link because she
spoke a little bit of Kaiwa language
which interested me.
I began relating what anthropolo-
gists and sociologists believe in
and that is to know a particular
group of people very well means
eating with them, drinking with
them and getting involved in their
day to day activities. In this way
they will appreciate you and will
tell you anything and everything,
even the secrets of their place be-
cause at the back of their mind
they know you have become a part
of their society.
While we were having light re-
freshment on the farm the Israelis
shared some of the stories of their
country to us.
Since I was the only young one
among the group they kept telling
me don’t be shy just help yourself
to all this food here.
Mickey and I wanted to find ways
to go to the nearby market to get
something local to eat but we didn’t
manage to escape because we had
no time.
One thing I learnt from the trip
was the more time you spend doing
something you like, whether you
are not qualified, eventually you
will master it. Also those who are
very passionate about what they
are doing will achieve the desired
outcome. And the more time you
spend with older people you will
learn a lot.
Getting a feelGetting a feel
of Helaof HelaOur young and intrepid reporter
DOREEN Philip shares her expe-
rience of her first trip on assign-
ment to cover a state-of-the-art
poultry farm being set up in Hela
Province by the Israelis ...
Post–Courier Journalist Doreen Philip and Innovative Agro Industry
Logistics Manager Assaf Abergel.