Trek the Kokoda Trail Travel Blog

Archive for February, 2010

HOPE4HEALTH, Back Track Adventures and The Kokoda Track Foundation, officially launch their appeal to support a 2 staged campaign aimed at improving the long term health of people living along the Kokoda Track:

Stage 1 – Train 4 Health Workers
Stage 2 – Build the Naduri Health Centre

Stage 1 – Train 4 Health Workers

Each of the trainee Health Workers chosen to undertake the 2 year course, were specially selected from a large number of applicants based on a number of criteria including their academic record and references from their village leaders. Each candidate was personally interviewed  by representatives from the The Kokoda Track Foundation for the position.  They each have signed  contracts, committing to spend a minimum of 4 years working in their Home village as the Community Health Worker after they have completed their training. All the village members are aware of the contracts and their selected Health Workers commitment.

How can you help?

We need to fund their training. It’s going to cost AUD $2,000 per year, for 2 years (total AUD $4,000)  to train each of these Health Workers.

Each will be starting their 2 year full time training on February 8th 2010.  The Health Worker’s Certificate Course is a full time course conducted by the St Gerard’s Community Health Workers Training School in Port Moresby.  For only AUD$4,000, this small amount covers their full time board in Port Moresby, travel expenses to and from their village and all their stationery needs for their course.  The Kokoda Track Foundation have systems in place to monitor the trainees progress and account for all payments.

Click here to make a tax deductible donation, or call Jim Drapes on 1300 669 780.

Stage 2 – Build the Naduri Health Centre

We are hopeful that the Post will be completed in July, however the Health Post will only be functional with the support of sponsors and kind hearted  supporters.  To keep the centre ‘resourced’ with drugs and essential supplies will not be a simple and cost free exercise. The Hea th Workers needed to staff the Health post will not be fully trained for some time.

Back track representatives will be consulting with all interested parties over the next couple of months and an operational support plan will be formulated. If you have any ideas or wish to get involved as a sponsor please contact Jim at Back Track Adventures.

Visit the Kokoda Track Health Campaign website>

“Everyone should take the trek” ‘said Kennett

JEFF Kennett has walked the walk that is Kokoda and is more invigorated than ever. The man who has never been short of an opinion recommends everyone take the trek. ”It’s really been quite profound,” Kennett told me. ”I thoroughly, thoroughly enjoyed it.”