By: Edson Kuso
US-based Papua New Guinean businessman Charlie Waro has taken a bold step in leaving the comfort of the United States and his family to be with his people and inspire change.
The owner of Kumul Transport spent the festive season in his home province of Hela and initiated a recent gun-surrender ceremony in his Wabia area in the Komo-Hulia District.
Having spent most his life abroad and having to see and hear the atrocities happening in his home over the media, was heart-wrenching for Charlie Waro.
A tearful Waro said having seeing all these, he can no longer sit-by and watch. He left the US last year and came over to PNG to his home in Hela and started a number of initiatives, such as the recent gun-surrender in Wabia.
Taking the gun-surrender as the first step, Waro donated a portable Lucas Sawmill to the Wabia community for the building of churches, education and health facilities and for the people of Wabia community to build their homes.
He has also began working with the Hela provincial government to help sponsor teachers to go for further studies in the USA and he is also looking at creating other employment and education opportunities for the people of Hela in the future.
Waro further encouraged other Hela elites to take the initiative to help change the province and not wait for the government.
