Kawok Village in Western Province is making strides in community development, with four new permanent houses built.
In a proud moment for Kawok village, located 40 minutes by dinghy along the Fly River from Kiunga town, four newly constructed three-bedroom homes were officially opened before a crowd of more than 300 villagers from Kawok and neighboring Moian.
The homes, funded entirely through the Kawok Village Development Funds (VDF) and the Ok Tedi Development Foundation (OTDF), mark a significant milestone in the village’s journey towards sustainable community development. The PGK 700,000 project was delivered under a compensation agreement between the Kawok community and Ok Tedi Mining Limited (OTML).
Chairman of the Kawok Village Planning Committee (VPC), Mr. Simon Kobowut, said during the handover ceremony that the project is part of a long-term vision for the community, driven by the village’s 5-Year Development Plan.
“Infrastructure development is my key focus, I want my people to sleep under iron roof of a permanent house,” Mr. Kobowut said. “Our plan revolves around three major goals: access to clean water, decent housing, and off-grid electricity for the entire community. We will use this plan as our guide and continue to support one another in building our village.”
Villages witness the handover of a home to its owner
House owners Jackson John, Chris Bonney, Gill Michael, Velamina George thanked OTDF for the support in the project and most importantly the VPC chairman Simon Kobowut for the allocation of the homes to their families.
Ward 18 Councilor, Mr. Bondit Kembayong from nearby Moian village, commended the leadership of Mr. Kobowut for his perseverance in seeing the project through to completion.
“To the families receiving their new homes today – take pride in them,” he said. “Development doesn’t happen overnight. The longevity of any project depends on the care and commitment of the community.”
Trust Administrator Mr. Johanis Saferius reflected on the project’s journey, highlighting the strength built through collaboration.
“Delivering projects in remote communities comes with challenges but this is what gives these developments lasting value. He said OTDF also stepped in to manage variations beyond the original PGK 700,000 budget, ensuring the project’s success.”
Executive Manager of Corporate Services, Mr. Raul De Los Santos, called the new homes a legacy of leadership and a foundation for the future of Kawok village.
The housing project follows the recent success of another major initiative in Kawok — a water catchment facility that now supplies 45,000 liters of clean water daily. Five 9,000-liter tanks, installed by OTDF contractors, use gravity-fed flow to deliver water through 20 taps across the village.
This latest project is the second largest infrastructure investment in Kawok’s history and was once again overseen by the OTDF Infrastructure Development team, led by Project Team Leader Mr. Pascoe Sevese.
The people of Kawok are setting a powerful example of community-led development, transforming vision into reality.