Papua New Guineans in full tribal costume welcome guests to Kalolo at the beginning of the day’s festivities.
James Daniel Waites / ICRC
ICRC Mt Hagen Acting Head of Office Thomas Rogale (centre) is escorted into the village in traditional style.
James Daniel Waites / ICRC
The ICRC works closely with the Papua New Guinea Red Cross Society in the Highlands. Here, ICRC Mt Hagen Acting Head of Office Thomas Rogale (left) and the Chairman of PNGRCS Western Highlands Branch David Knox are led into the village.
James Daniel Waites / ICRC
Several sing-sing groups performed during the celebrations, each wearing different costumes indicative of their place of origin.
James Daniel Waites / ICRC
Members of the community march around the clinic to show their appreciation.
James Daniel Waites / ICRC
Sing-sing performers take a pause in front of Yakisu Sub-Health Centre.
James Daniel Waites / ICRC
Performers carry ceremonial weapons such as bow and arrows.
James Daniel Waites / ICRC
Crowds of people march around the facility, which will serve a catchment area of around 20,000 people.
James Daniel Waites / ICRC
Sing-sing performers listen to speeches by local dignitaries.
James Daniel Waites / ICRC
The community roast 14 pigs in underground ovens (mumu). Meat is placed on leaves and distributed at the end of the day.
James Daniel Waites / ICRC
The scene in Kalolo at the end of the day, when the rains began and PNG’s typical technicolor umbrellas came out.
The people of Kalolo, in Kagua-Erave District of Southern Highlands Province, and surrounding communities are no strangers to the consequences of violence. In 2011, a tribal fight in the nearby village of Batri resulted in the destruction of the only health post serving the area. As a result, for several years, residents of the region were forced to walk up to 20km to the nearest health facility for medical attention.
Until now. Yakisu Sub-Health Centre is the result of collaboration between the ICRC, the local health authorities and NGOs Partner Housing Australasia and Vision for Homes, not to mention the local community. The name "Yakisu" is a composite – it refers to the Yakira River and Suku Valley, the catchment area the facility serves. It symbolises the unity of these communities, who have put conflict behind them and will all now seek care at Yakisu.
Needless to say, the official opening of the centre on 30 September, 2016 was cause to celebrate. More than a thousand people from the area gathered to join the festivities, some walking several kilometres to attend the event. Several sing-sing groups performed in full costume. After speeches and the cutting of the ribbon – by Acting CEO of Southern Highlands Provincial Health Authority Dr Joseph Birisi and the ICRC's head of WatHab activities for Asia Pacific, Veronique Weber Oviedo Pinto – the day ended with a feast: 14 pigs and a cow, roasted underground in a traditional style oven known as mumu.
The new clinic will provide vaccinations, child health support, maternity care, family and sexual violence support and emergency care for life-threatening injuries. The project has been the result of months of hard work, but despite the logistical challenges of constructing and equipping such facilities in the PNG Highlands, it was finally completed and staffed in July and now serves around 20,000 people in the area.
