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Pig farm requirements:
1 Pig wire = 5 rolls = 299 x 5 = K1495
Nails 20 packets = 3.5 = 65
Local breeding pig 5 pigs = 100ea = 500
Extra feed - later
Total = K2060
Trading Store Project Projects on Gigila Island, Louisiades, PNG
Since the moratorium on beche de mer fishing and diving, there is little the islanders can do to earn money for their children’s education and for medical needs. The tradition for the islands in the Louisiade Archipelago is to trade with each other for necessities with pigs, fruit and vegetables, canoes, carvings and weavings being exchanged.
When PNG was under Australian rule, education was free. The PNG government has made education ‘user-pays’, even in the islands where there is no money. Other islands further north have more volcanic soil and spaces to grow coconut palms for copra and oil, for income, however most of the Louisiade islands are steep and rocky with minimal soil and very little, if any, water.
The aim is to keep any money on the island instead of it being dissipated once people get to Misima. Because the lagoons are almost fished out there is an increased reliance on bought alternatives and a necessary movement away from traditional foods. The canteen can also serve neighbouring islands. The Yachties Foundation provided seed funding in 2009.
There was an existing building in the middle of Valeha village with a corrugated iron roof which serves as the store room, where goods are locked away. The canteen is worked as a co-operative, with each family staffing it for a week and being paid in kind with a share of goods. Any profits will be put back into the store and when self-sustaining, profits will go towards educational needs on the island.
Until the co-operative has created a sufficiently good track record to buy on account and get goods wholesale, the first purchases were retail with a discount for volume.
Pig Farming Project Part of an adjacent island which is low lying has been put aside to fence off the pigs. The crew of S.Y. Swaggie come every year with a chainsaw to make pig fences and in 2010 will work on building a sound pig fence. Funding was provided by The Yachties Foundation
Other Projects
Donations made to The Yachties Foundation have made it possible for two young people to continue High School, one young woman to go on to Teachers Training and a woman to train as a First Aid Nurse.
Cruise-aiders have established a good relationship with Gigila Is because the councillor there is pro-active and keen to improve the situation on his island. Our aim is to show what can perhaps be done on other islands in the Pacific where there is strong leadership with similar concerns.
Eric Gray's plans for building Toloyot and Paul Taylor's plans for building a school can be obtained by emailing info@cruise-aiders.com
If you have a project somewhere, we would love to hear about it.
Please use this free website to co-ordinate and promote your projects.
1 3 bales Roots Rice 20 x 1kg = K95 = K308
2 3 bales Ramu Sugar 20 x 500 = 56 = 168
3 3 bales Plain flour 12 x 1 = 52 = 156
4 3 bales SRF 12 x 1 = 51 = 153
5 1x CTN Magic noodles = 117 = 117
6 1 x CTN Arrow Beef 40 x 4 = 50.4 = 50.4
7 2 x CTN c/oil King 24 x 500 = 79.9 = 159.8
8 1 x CTN SNALS Beef 40 x 4 = 39.6 = 39.6
9 1 CTN Cold power 20 x 360 = 80.4 = 80.4
10 5 doz Waswas soap = 4.80 = 24
11 40 Litres Kerosene = 3.3 = 132
Total K1387.40
This makes growing vegetables difficult and time consuming due to fetching water, sometimes all the way from other islands. Therefore their own consumption comes first and growing crops for sale at the market on Misima is not an option.
In order to create some cash flow for the Islanders two projects were decided upon as sustainable enterprises for the island. Transparency is essential; financial books are kept and annual reports made.
