With the OFC Congress concluded attention turned to the visit of OFC president Reynald Temarii and FIFA president Joseph S. Blatter and the opening of the Kila Kila secondary school mini-pitch. Bear the following in mind as you read – Papua New Guinea is the biggest country in the OFC region; it has a population of 5.5 million people who speak over 800 unique languages, but for whom many do not receive a secondary school education.
It is a country torn apart by an AIDS epidemic where 30-40% of its young people will be lost to the country within the next 20 years. It is, without question, a third world country. The disease effects people from all walks of life – male, female, old, young, heterosexual included – and is destroying families, orphaning children, who, in turn, become infected themselves. There is a real issue in getting the anti-HIV/AIDS message out. Where poverty thrives, so too does HIV/AIDS.
The tragedy is that underpinning this unfolding horror is the undoubted Papua New Guinean potential in both sporting and academic pursuits. It is not unusual for Papua New Guineans to be talented at several sports that might include football, rugby, rugby league, sevens rugby, athletics and cricket.
OFC president Reynald Temarii saw the raw potential in Papua New Guinea but could not look away from the social problems affecting the country.
“It is important that OFC helps to develop football in our member associations. But it is not right to simply develop football and forget about the people. We must assume some responsibility for the people who make up our football communities – not just in Papua New Guinea, but in every country – so this is why OFC built the mini-pitch at the Kila Kila Secondary school.”
In a six figure initiative, OFC built an artificial mini-pitch at the school that is surrounded by squatter settlements where poverty and struggle are part of daily life. Just over 1100 students attend the school with many living difficult lives
Papua New Guinea Minister for Community Development Dame Carol Kidu said football’s desire to help develop not only the game but to help the people live better lives would ensure the popularity of the game. Other sports codes, she said, simply did not have the same vision.
“Football is about life, it is about education and teaching people to live healthy sustainable lives. OFC’s involvement here is wonderful and it has brought us a lot of happiness. The FIFA president has also been wonderful in his generous support for what OFC and, in particular, for what Reynald Temarii has done here.”
Temarii said that football was a powerful tool for developing people in a holistic way and he had high hopes that Papua New Guinea would become a significant force in the OFC region. Temarii added that FIFA president Joseph S. Blatter had agreed that $1 million US would be made available for the construction of football pitches in Papua New Guinea’s 22 provinces in a bid to raise technical standards in the country.
The mini-pitch was opened by FIFA president Blatter and OFC president Temarii with school officials, students and community leaders gathered to watch an exciting afternoon of cultural performances before Blatter and Temarii entered the mini-pitch stage to enjoy a little bit of “two touch” as the local community and media watched on.