The Sariri (PNG) Project.

Project Background

In November 2007 during Cyclone Guba and again in 2009 Oro Province on the North coast of Papua New Guinea suffered extensive flooding, the loss of hundreds of lives and significant property damage which left the survivors without access to food and clean water.

As a result of a call for help from a village head man, the Rotary Club of Geelong has been involved from the start of the re-development of Sariri in 2011 and has followed up in 2012, 2013 2015 and 2016.  Several other Rotary Clubs, including Warrnambool Daybreak, Warrnambool East and Warrnambool have also become involved by sending equipment, materials, clothing and putting working parties on site in Sariri.

A plan for the re-establishment of the village and the implementation of sustainable agriculture based income generation has been developed in cooperation with the villagers. The aim is for the village to become self-sustainable as well as the centre of the villages around it, thus directly improving the lives of many people in the district.

Rotary Club of Warrnambool’s involvement

The Rotary Club of Warrnambool has been on-site in 2015 and 2016 and is currently planning a 2017 mission.

The RCW has provided Sariri with a tractor and is assisting with clean water acquisition (showing how to hand drill water bores and solar pumping equipment) and the provision of crop growing and processing equipment.