Leadership and relationships, next step in path: Foundation

Caption: Digicel Foundation Board Chairman Douveri Henao

By MATTHEW VARI

Sunday, August 9, 2015 (Sunday Chronicle, PNG)

THAT is the aim set by incoming Chairman of the Digicel Foundation Douveri Henao when asked where the Foundation aims to go during his tenure as board chairman over the next three years.

Mr Henao takes over from Richard Kassman under who the foundation achieved its goal of building impacting communities in all 22 provinces.

He pointed out the importance of maintaining the strides that the foundation has taken that has seen directly invested US $17 million (PGK 42.5milion) in Papua New Guinea’s rural, remote and marginalized communities across all 22 provinces, directly impacting over 300,000 people in the country.

The Chairman revealed his board’s main focuses are to strengthen and create new relationships and to utilize the huge role leaders and role models play in their various communities around the country.

“The comparative advantage of Digicel Foundation right now is mobilizing the establishment and also the construction of classrooms and other infrastructure projects such as community learning centers, so the footprint has extended right throughout the country and the ambition that we have to cover all the 365 LLGs,” Henao said.

“A critical part of that ambition to come into fruition is there needs to be a strong collaboration with government, development partners, churches, and similar organizations as ours. So part of our vision in the next couple of years is to make that collaboration partnership stronger.”

“We can leverage our strengths and where there are areas where we may not be quite strong, those are where the partners can step in and help.”

“I am looking at the next couple of years interacting with Beatrice Mahuru (foundation CEO) and the other board members in that direction.”

He said the second focus is to focus on the network of professional in the country that influence their people in their villages and areas.

“The good thing about our country in this present time is professionals, champions, some of them have tremendous influence back in their communities. So we want to leverage on that leadership out there and through having those sorts of networks and engagements we can roll out some of our ideas and programs by partnering with those in leadership,” Henoa added.

“We have heard some of the winners in the Man of Honour campaign who hold a lot of leadership and influence in their communities- those are the sorts of champions that we are going to be finding not just in the Man of Honour campaign but generally in the programs we have as well.”

“I certainly look forward for the next couple of years. It can only grow and become better and with a very strong competent team led by Beatrice that vision will be fulfilled.”

“It’s a tremendous office to hold and I am privileged to hold it, and certainly in the three years if I can achieve some of those important partnership engagements, source those champions then definitely that will help Beatrice execute the great work that she is doing.”