Last Friday, over 10,000 people gathered in Kaigunua village near Chuave station to witness the launch of the 4th SME rollout for Chuave.
The people of Chuave will receive K4 million through the government’s Small-to-Medium-Enterprises program facilitated by their local MP and Vice Minister of Mines, Wera Mori.
Proud villagers clad in traditional attire, danced and chanted in true Cimbu fashion to herald the beginning of change for Chuave.
Since the start of the SME program in Chauve, the number of applicants have risen from several hundreds to over 3000 potential beneficiaries now registered with the Investment Promotion Authority. Friday’s launch in Chuave is the fourth and final disbursement of funds for this term
Three previous rollouts were implemented in Chuave over the last four years benefitting thousands of villagers, with many venturing into small scale business activities.
Transport Minister and Gazelle MP Malakai Tabar was invited by Mr Mori as guest speaker at the launching.
Unlike other resource-rich provinces in the country, Chimbu ;and Chuave, particularly has no extractive minerals and therefore many depend almost entirely on subsistence farming to sustain their livelihood.
For them the SME program is a blessing and many have since capitalized on it by venturing into successful small scale entrepreneurial activities.
