New Ireland hosts successful charity colour run for two health centres
Island Petroleum Limited in New Ireland Province successfully hosted its annual Charity Colour Run on Sunday, July 5, to raise funds towards Lemakot and Kimadan Health Centres in New Ireland.
Lemakot [Catholic] and Kimadan [United Church] are agency health facilities, both situated along the Boluminski Highway, have served the rural population of the province in decades, and are currently facing deteriorating infrastructures, and often faced with shortages of medical supplies.
The Charity Colour Run event was hosted by the “We are One Foundation”, an organization under IPL, committed to providing community service to people in the provinces where IPL operates.
The event drew hundreds of families, businesses, public servants, schools, churches, families, NGO’s and individuals from all works of life, together in a show of unity, respect and solidarity towards a worthy cause.
The fun run started at the Sir Julius Chan Stadium, in a five-kilometre lap, passing through five colour stations and finished back at the stadium.
The 5-colour stations included station one [blue] at Jehovah Witness church area, station two at Kavieng Red cross [yellow], station three [green] at the Provincial Administration, station four [red] at Malangan lodge and station five [orange] at Snafu filed.
Both Kimadan and Lemakot health staff were present to show their support and appreciation.
In his official address, Owner of IPL Mr. Paul Bluett told the gathering that New Ireland is like home to him.
He spent half of his life [36 years] in the province and this year’s charity fun run, was his choice to return and join the people in raising funds for the two health centres. He thanked everyone for their contribution, saying next year will be a bigger and better one.
New Ireland Provincial Health Authority’s acting chief executive officer Peterson Merengas acknowledged the initiative, saying Lemakot and Kimadan are the lifeline of the local communities.
“They are where our mothers go for safe births, children receive immunizations and where our people turn to at their most vulnerable health states,” he said.
He said there’s greater need to maintain such partnerships with IPL and others to continue supporting the health system to improve and deliver better health service to NIPHA and all other Health facilities throughout the province.
Director of “We are One Foundation, Kavitha Bluett says, the event is a show of how unity and commitment can create impacts in our communities.
The 2026 Charity Colour run in New Ireland is sponsored by New Britain Palm Oil [NBPOL], PNG Ports Services, NIDC, NIP Events committee, Niu Ailan Savings & Loans Society, Niu Ailan Drongo, KDDA, Namatanai DDA, Joe Tong and Arrow Trading, Mengsu and New Ireland Public Health, and other businesses and individuals.
The Colour IPL Charity Colour Run began in 2017, but was suspended during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2019. It resumed last year, as part of the company's commitment to supporting health services in New Ireland and other eight IPL based provinces of Papua New Guinea.
Kavieng joined Kimbe and Kokopo to host this successful event.
The 2026 IPL Charity Colour Fun run fundraiser event concluded with special items at the Sir Julius Chan Stadium in Kavieng.