LIFESTYLE
THE story of Poreno Airstrip that was finally launched on June 12 this year, goes back more than 40 years ago when the elders of villages in Biawaria in Waria local level government of Wau-Waria electorate in Morobe started working on it.
Then, little did they know that 42 years later, the Porenu Airstrip in Ward 17 would be launched and the first flight into the area take place on May 18, 2026.
Before the launching of that airstrip, the only available means of transporting goods and services into the seven villages of Pureno, Bakeri, Mukery, Tiry, Saka, Surupia and Onepa that makes up Biawaria, was by foot.
The closest airstrip to Biawaria is Garasa in Ward 14, a distance that takes a whole day for the people.
On their return, on their backs, they carry with them, store goods, household items, school and first aid materials, drugs and other important goods that support their livelihoods back in their isolated locations.
The walk to and from Garasa Airstrip usually stretches over steep mountains and crossing the famous Waria River and other small brooks.
The 2,000-plus people feel the pains of surviving in modern times and with the opening of the Porenu Airstrip, challenges have been placed on them to make good use of this development to better their lives.
According to Ward 17 councilor Walter Siggie, their main hardships had been transportation, lack of proper health and education facilities. Communication with the outside world also remains problematic.
“Over the years, we have carried the sick on our shoulders to seek medical assistance. On many occasions, we experienced deaths while trying to reach the nearest airstrip, or while waiting to catch the next plane. That was the only way we could access medical assistance for our sick relatives,” Siggie said.
There is never an easy day for these people that live near the Owen Stanley Range, bordering Sohe district in Northern and Goilala in Central. Even with the opening of the new Porenu Airstrip, many of these challenges still persist.
Sigie said the first businessman in the area by the name of Upuru Sogimo, from Tira village, operated a business in Bulolo named Ruino Brothers in the early 1970s.
“In 1985, Sogimo set up a trade store in the village and used to fly in goods using Kira Airstrip in Sohe district of Northern.”
Sogimo saw that transporting store goods on foot from Garasa Airstrip in Ward 14 of Waria LLG and Kira Airstrip to Biawaria villages was painstaking and a struggle for the people.
The planning for an airstrip for people of Biawaria started at that time and Sogimo, with the local assistance, built one at Bakari village in late 1985 at his own cost. Unfortunately, that airstrip was too short and to this date, it is not in use.
According to Councillor Sigie, their fathers then moved to Poreno and started clearing the bush there to build the airstrip.
After 42 years of struggle and determination, the people of Biawaria finally launched their new Poreno Airstrip.
The financial assistance given by Niusky Pacific Limited together with assistance from Wau-Waria District Development Authority (DDA) was remarkable. The Rural Airstrips Authority ensured the airstrip was built to meet all expectations.
The airstrip was built using local labour. Spades, wheelbarrows and other tools were used to dig the earth that held huge boulders. No modern machinery was used. It was the determination of the people to see changes in their livelihoods that shook off all the pains involved to build the airstrip.
Biawaria women’s representative Eldie Saros said their primary school did not normally have enough teachers all year round and the health workers sometimes did not have basic drugs to treat the sick.
“Teachers and other government workers cannot come and stay here for long because, here, we do not have effective modes of transportation and communication. We do not have a permanent health post while road access is nonexistent,” Saros said.
She said law and order issues were also an area of concern.
“Now that the Wau-Waria DDA and the other authorities came in to assist with the Poreno Airstrip, it brings some hope for the people of Ward 17.
“Currently we have a health worker who is not a graduate but was trained by some health experts and that person has been administering medical drugs to the sick over the last 15 years.”
Saros said many school aged children there gave up attending classes at their primary school because there are no teachers. And these children get married at an early age.
Mothers face complications in pregnancy and childbirth and there have been many deaths over the years.
“Now, with the launching of our own airstrip, it gives us hope but we still have to do more work on this airstrip to make it usable and to allow for bigger planes to land.”
She thanked Wau-Waia DDA under the chairmanship of MP Marsh Narewec, the RAA and Niusky Pacific Limited for making funds available that got Poreno Airstrip to the stage it is now operational.
During the launching, MP Narewec told the people of Biawaria that they would have their own health post and that the DDV would also look into other areas of development like education and communication over time.
“This is the day you people in Biawaria will hold dear to your heart for years to come. Now that this airstrip will be launched, you people have to make use of it to better your livelihoods,” Narewec said.
He said the Wau-Waria DDA would do its best over time to ensure people there were better served.
“This is last Morobe and we are trying our best to make available what we can do to ensure you are better served. It will not happen overnight but little by little, things will change to ensure you people get what you deserve.”
He further challenged the people to work together to upgrade the airstrip so that more planes would land and goods would be transported in and out using it.
