Graun Blong Mi- My Land

By Sylvester Gawi   The Aitape-Lumi to Vanimo road, a crucial connection in Papua New Guinea's Sandaun Province, has been steadily deteriorating, causing significant challenges for local communities and businesses.  Once a key transportation route for residents, traders, and government services, the road has suffered from poor maintenance, frequent landslides, and erosion, particularly during the rainy season. Deep potholes and washed-out sections have made travel dangerous and time-consuming, severely limiting access to essential services such as healthcare and education.  The degradation of this infrastructure also disrupts the transportation of goods to and from Vanimo, the provincial capital, impacting the local economy. Communities along the route, particularly in the remote Lumi area, are finding it increasingly difficult to travel to market towns or receive supplies. Efforts to repair the road have been slow and insufficient, with government resources stretched thin. Calls f