Past Adventures
September 2007
Well it has been a very long time between drinks and we are so sorry for the delay. Better late than never – Enjoy!
Jim’s bit
We spent New Years Eve at the “In Wewak” hotel with friends and had a great time. Straight after that it was time to get back to work. The hardest thing about this job is planning and then implementing. There are so many distractions, delays and changes that it often get very frustrating. So much so that we sometimes want to throw in the towel and come home where we are close to family and friends. When I feel this way I’ll often go into our tree kangaroo enclosures and just sit with the animals and remember that they brought us here in the first place.
I had found an article in the “Post Courier” newspaper about funding through the European Union for water supplies last year. We had been registered with the Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Program (RWSSP) and had now been asked to submit a full application. Naturally we had received the deadline for the submission late, being isolated in Lumi, and so had less than a week to write the application. I rushed to Wewak and spent five frantic days writing the application. I felt like I was cramming for an exam. The end result was successful, TCA was now committed to supplying 60 water tanks and accessories as well as providing education on health, hygiene and HIV/AIDS. Needless to say our work as now been cut out for us for at least the next 12 months.
Jean’s Bit
During January I spent most of my time writing a training manual for the conservation area training. This manual will be used as a reference by the people who are on the conservation area management committee. The plan is that each village will form their own committee and they will essentially act as “rangers” for their own conservation areas on their land. The training manual contains information on PNG fauna, traditional knowledge, scientific knowledge and ideas on conservation and how to utilise the land and natural resources in a more sustainable way.
In between writing, I spent a lot of time organising materials to be distributed for the chicken farming and rabbit farming for each village. There was also a CBC (Christian Bretheren Church) training for pasters in Lumi and I was invited to provide a session on caring for the environment. It was a great opportunity.
Jim’s Bit
I patrolled with three guys to Sibilanga to have discussions with some of the Weimang villages. The road had collapsed at a place called Birap and so driving to our destination was out of the question. We walked on foot and had meetings with eight villages. It was a long patrol, I had come down with the flu and so was in no state to walk all the way back to Lumi. We were staying at our base in Sibilanga which is an old CBC house built in the 1960’s. We have an agreement with CBC and the people at Sibilanga to fix up this old house so that TCA can have a base in the middle of the Weimang villages. This is pretty comfortable and I recovered somewhat whilst waiting for the plane to fly us back to Lumi.
Two staff members from RWSSP came to visit us in Lumi to see our base and to talk about the grant, our obligations, time frames etc. We also walked to Yongite (the closest Tenkile village) so that the RWSSP staff could get an understanding of our work. This was the first time for our son Tadji to go on patrol.
Jean’s Bit
It was great going for a walk up to the village and good to see that Tadji handled it well. I am still not confident enough to go out into the village with Tadji just yet – perhaps when he is a little older. We will see.
Once I had the training manual completed I started translating it into pidgin English. We employed Melchior Yaisi from Kupoum village (Fatima) to help with the translation. Melchior has a science degree in environmental chemistry and has worked as a high school teacher for the last five or so years. He has recently returned to the village so we jumped at the chance to have him work for us and get involved with TCA.
Jim's bit
We were now in the process of finding suitable people to become Project Officers for the organisation. We had procured funding to employ three people full-time for a year. This was a huge relief in that more results would be achieved, Jean and I would not need to visit all the villages as much and most importantly ownership and responsibilities would now be given to the stakeholders.
Patrolling the villages is a great adventure but after four years of using pit toilets (and me falling through five of them) and constantly getting sick we were thrilled to bits to be able to give other people some of this workload.
We were now giving Mathew Akon and Patrick Ikon some work to patrol the 18 Tenkile villages to give people an update of TCA’s work and to deliver some paperwork to the male and female representatives at each village. Both Mathew and Patrick are from Tenkile villages.
Jean’s bit
Once the training manual was complete we spent the month of March and early April on gardening workshops in Lumi. Like last year, 4 representatives from each village were invited to attend a one week workshop with our expert gardeners Mathew Waisi and Andrew Saimbu from Rawete village. The participants were shown how to establish their own nursery by sterilising the soil and making organic compost. Later seeds were planted and the seedlings transplanted in plots.
Mathew was keen to motivate people to use their own bush materials and become self-sufficient. He even showed people how to make an insecticide using local tobacco leaves. TCA provided participants with seeds so that they can grow their own gardens when they return to their village. Villages received cabbage, tomato and carrot seeds for planting. When they are ready for harvesting, people can either eat them, sell them or supplement the diet of the rabbits.
Jim's Bit
In mid-March we all headed to Sibilanga to do some more work with the Weimang villages and to get things organised for the renovations for TCA’s second base. We spent a bit over a week there and got everything organised for our next visit. Tadji had a great time crawling everywhere and playing with the Sibilanga kids.
Jean’s bit
I spent some time with the students at the Sibilanga school. I conducted a 3 day conservation education workshop to grade 6, 7 and 8. The students were shy as always but seemed to learn a lot from the experience. Many students admitted to eating animals in the wild on a weekly basis which is much more than the people from the Tenkile villages. This was good for the health of the people but not good for the future of the wild animal populations. After doing this training, I now realise how critical it is that we spend more time in the Sibilanga area to increase the understanding of PNG’s unique fauna and the implications of over harvesting.
The trip to Sibilanga also provided us with an opportunity to organise the teachers for a teacher in-service training. The teachers were very enthusiastic about the idea and loved that it would be held at their school. After much discussion, I left it into the hands of the teachers to organise and felt confident all would go to plan.
Jim's Bit
We had been asked by the Community Development Scheme (CDS) to attend a workshop in Goroka. TCA received a grant from CDS in 2004 and we supplied the Tenkile villages with a water tank each and built on the rabbit farming program we started in 2003. We thought it was a good idea to send Patrick Ikon to start learning about the funding side of things, besides I had a stack of tasks to complete in Wewak. Patick and I flew to Wewak and Patrick then went on to Goroka.
The road to Lumi had now been fixed, well it had been repaired in the form a dodgy log bridge which enabled cars to drive all the way to Lumi if they were brave enough. We needed supplies in Lumi and the cost of freigt by air is very expensive. I hired a vehicle back to Lumi. Luckily the road was dry so no falling off bridges.
Jean’s Bit
We had our first TCA meeting for the year on the 4th of April. Both male and female representatives attended and all of TCA’s work was discussed. Due to various incidents that occurred since the start of the year, Jim and I decided we would like to spend more time back in Australia once the volunteer contract was finished and so it was important to let the people know so they could decide what their thoughts would be best in terms of the future management of TCA. So toward the end of the meeting we introduced a new item on the agenda to discuss the future of TCA in terms of what happens at the end of our contracts in September 2009.
We had another meeting in mid May, just to discuss the future of TCA and of course all the TCA reps and their respective communities decided that we cannot go and we must stay until Tadji is old enough to have “maus gras” (a beard!). We compromised with the idea that if we could find enough support in Australia then we would try and come in and out of PNG to help monitor the management and implementation of TCA’s projects. Everyone seemed to be happy with this outcome.
Following the gardening workshop, Jim conducted the distance sampling training workshops. I helped out when I could, but spent most of the time on the computer and organising various things around the house. It is a never end cycle of dusting and cleaning due to the cockroaches, rats, geckos, wood borers and termites. Each week a thick layer of dust builds up on everything and there are an assortment of droppings over everything and after a while I just have to get stuck into it and clean it up before it drives me insane. But then a week later, it is all back again.
Jim's Bit
The Distance Sampling courses went really well. I identified 10 Distance Sampling Officers who would become Research Officers. These guys will be able to perform the research independently of myself which will enable more data to be obtained and will facilitate any future research being conducted. All of the 36 men who attended these courses are extremely proud of their work in the mountains. It will be ideal to have this important work continue as the stakeholders are right behind it and the results are showing an increase in Tenkile numbers.
We have identified a suitable fellow to undertake regular patrols to the Weimang area. Clancy Sumei who topped the Distance Sampling course in 2006 is being trialled as a potential Project Officer for the Weimang villages. Clancy and two Research Officers were sent off with a set of instructions and a pack full of literature to deliver to the first eight Weimang villages.
Jean, Tadji and I all flew to Wewak at the end of April. Jean needed a break from the bush and I had to attend a workshop in Lae for RWSSP. We also had Rick Steele and Jo Thitchener from AVI coming to see us. It was at this time that TCA purchased a brand new Toyota 4 wheel rive land-cruiser. It was such a relief in finally being able to have a car at our fingertips and not having to hire them all the time. Getting things done in Wewak is also a lot easier. We had David Patterson (our web master) get some stickers done and we swiftly had the TCA vehicle looking fantastic (see latest photos).
The highlight for me in this trip to Wewak was seeing Tadji walk for the first time. He had been standing up by himself for a while and decided to start walking when we were having a few drinks at the Wewak Yacht club.
Jean’s Bit
I came back into Lumi with Rick Steel and Jo Thitchener from AVI. It was great having some “wantoks” in Lumi and I needed the company after such a long stint in Lumi. We discussed the possibility of TCA assisting AVI with a youth program. The idea being that a group of young volunteers come into Lumi and help out with various aspects of the program for a period of about 10 weeks. It all sounds like a great idea and we are very supportive of it, so we will see what happens in the future.
Jim's Bit
On May 25th 2007 at approximately 10 am I received the horrible news that my Dad, Colin, had died. Dad died from a heart attack the night before around 6pm. We immediately headed back to Melbourne to be with my family.
Jean’s Bit
The news of Colins’ death was a massive shock and we are so grateful to Phillip Tjeung and the Catholic Mission for acting quickly in letting us know in time to return home for the funeral and to be with family. Likewise, AVI was brilliant in arranging all of our travel. We were able to leave Lumi and arrive in Melbourne in less than 48 hours. Amazing!
Although it was under awful circumstances, it was good to be with family again. After a couple of weeks in Melbourne we returned back to Lumi with Jim’s Mum, Jenny. We couldn’t really do a lot when we returned because the PNG elections were on and people were out and about doing things, so we stayed in Lumi and potted around working on the computer and organising things. It was nice to actually ease back into work because it was hard for us to get motivated. By the time Jenny left for Melbourne we were well and truly back into the “grind of development” as Rick Steele would say.
Jim's Bit
Once Mum left we headed to Port Moresby to attend meetings for the Conservation Area, seek more funding, attend another course for RWSSP and to purchase materials for our programs. We spent around two weeks there and got a lot accomplished. It was hard for me to focus but I tried to keep myself as busy as possible.
Jean’s Bit
In Port Moresby we met with various people and while we were there it was good timing for me to attend a Health and Hygeine Education course with the Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Program. It was a great course which got me right back into the swing of things and highly motivated and full of new ideas. By the time I got back to Lumi I was high on motivation but at the same time overwhelmed with how much work we had to do before the end of the year.
We had our second TCA meeting on August 15th and discussed our new work plan which was jam packed with training, patrols and workshops. The RWSSP became our priority and was due to really kick off in September after the Project Officers attended a monitoring and evaluation workshop in Madang. In the meantime I was busy getting ready for the Teacher training workshops.
Jim's Bit
The RWSSP were having another course. We decided to send Mathew and Patrick (now Project Officers for TCA) to attend the workshop in Madang. We drove to Wewak from Lumi, I dropped Mathew and Patrick off at Wewak airport and I did as much as I could until they returned a few days later. We were now getting into the full swing of things for this water and health program. I don’t know how many times I will be able to get into the mountains to do research. There just is not enough time to do everything I want to do.
I think the more you conduct real conservation the less you have to do with the animals. This is a shame in a way but overall is more rewarding when you see the results you are achieving.
We now had to get back to Sibilanga. I had to visit the remaining villages who had not signed the hunting moratorium for Weimang. A lot of things had prevented me from visiting these villages but now I had to go and see them. We initially tried to fly from Lumi to Sibilanga but the plane didn’t show up…..aaagh. So we had to drive. I was reluctant to take Tadji in the car on the dodgy road and bridges but we really didn’t have a choice. Everything was booked and planned for.
I had never driven on the road to Sibilanga before and so didn’t know what to expect. The road was fine at first but became increasingly muddy. We got bogged about five km from Sibilanga. Of course once stuck it started to rain heavily. I sent Jean, Tadji and two others ahead on foot so as to get to the house before dark. I stayed with the car. We tried to push it out for a good four hours before about 10 guys from Makumba village came to help us. Not only did they get us out of the bog but they basically pushed the car all the way to their village.
Jean’s Bit
The Lumi teacher Training workshop was good. There were not too many people that attended due to other commitments at the time and many schools did not send teachers because they had already been to the first training in 2005. Only 11 people attended but they were very enthusiastic and participated very well. We were able to show videos this year which helped raise the level of understanding and awareness on biodiversity and in particular climate change.
In Sibilanga the teacher training was even more successful with 23 participants. Some people who were not teachers even attended just out of their own interest which was great too. They loved the activities and realised they had been teaching the wrong stuff. For example their was a poster on the classroom wall from a student that said “Factual Information” and it showed a pie chart of the chemical composition of air – it said “79% Carbon Dioxide”! I pointed this out to everyone in the workshop and said if this were true we would all be dead. This then lead to some great discussion about climate change and it illustrated that the teachers need further training in this area too. So I have vowed that this will be my next project – to write a training manual on climate change and conduct an in-service for teachers and communities.
Jim's Bit
I patrolled to a village called Kolembi where we met with representatives form four other villages. We discussed everything to do with TCA and asked to join our program. Because this was our first visit to their area we asked them to discuss everything with their communities before signing the hunting moratorium for Weimang. Clancy (now the third Project Officer for TCA) will return in a few weeks time to have these five villages join our program.
Jean’s Bit
So that brings us up to date. It is now the end of September – time flies. Our plan now is to get started on the RWSSP, the first stage is to conduct the health and hygiene education in villages. I will train the trainers and they will implement the program in each village. Jim will be busy as a bee going to Wewak getting all the supplies for the water tanks etc. So to date, the RWSSP is going along smoothly and on time.
By the time this update goes up on the website, we will probably be in a little place called ‘Ningal’ which is just along the highway. We plan to conduct a rabbit training workshop for the Weimang villages and start distributing rabbits in this area. After we will conduct the Health and Hygeine education workshops and then I will be free for the first time this year to finally start the long awaited Conservation Area Management Training workshops. These workshops will take one week per village, so that will keep me busy for good couple of months.
Jim's Bit
We apologise for not posting an update for such a long time but as you can gather we’ve gone through a lot. Previously, my Dad edited all the updates on the website so sorry if this update is not as grammatically correct as previous issues. Dad was a big part of TCA; he organised all of the shipments from Melbourne to Wewak (which was a lot of work), managed TCA’s bank account in Australia and was always getting things for the program and us. He will be sadly missed and I dedicate this update to the late Colin Maxwell Thomas 1940-2007.
