Saw doctors preparing the portable sawmill during a training held in Grengas village North Fly. A similar training was facilitated in Kenedibi village in South Fly by Green Hope.
Local leaders who care deeply about helping the community and have the ability to influence will have the much impact.
Villagers from Kenedibi in remote South Fly of the Community Mine Continuation Agreement (CMCA) area received technical training in forest management and the safe operation of a chainsaw and sawmill to mill timber.
Thanks to their local leader Mr Aniba Samo, who funded the training, thirteen locals can apply timber milling skills in future projects.
Mr. Samo an Associate Director on the Ok Tedi Development Foundation (OTDF) Board, representing the South Fly CMCA region, donated K10, 000 from his director’s allowance towards the training.
The community requested OTDF to arrange the training so they could harvest timber to build housing. The Pre Start Training was facilitated through the Livelihood Development Program (LDP).
OTDF engaged Green Hope Investment Limited, a local group based in Kiunga, who are dedicated to building community capacity in forest management and safe use of sawmill equipment.
The trainees were taught to safely operate a sawmill, and a chainsaw; the process of log scaling for selective logging; and to effectively practice sustainable forest management.
Green Hope reported that the participant’s feedback was positive: “The people of Kenedibi village were waiting for such a training and could now proceed with their various housing projects”.