HAGEULU community in Gao district Isabel province has raised SBD102,000 over the Christmas and New Year season in aid of their church building.

Prominent leader of Hageulu Mr Josiah Manehia said the programme was organised by Fr George Elo and was hosted at Hageulu village.

He said the fundraising drive brought together people from Hageulu who moved to other villages.

Mr Manehia mentioned that people from Poro, Huali, Takutu, Hugukamoto, Vara, Lelegia, Kolotubi, Buala, Baolo, Tausese and surrounding villages were able to attend the fundraising drive.

He said the fundraising drive includes selling of both local and modern foods, card games and the highlight of the event was a live performance by Dodoili Band.

Mr Manehia said the amount of $102,000 was raised by the people themselves for the expansion of their Chapel which could no longer accommodate the increased population of Hageulu village.

He stressed that the amount raised during the fundraising demonstrates that communities can drive important development in rural areas even without assistance from members of Parliament and donors.

Mr Manehia said working together with common goals and purpose is a powerful tool that would drive development plans forward.

“Believe in yourselves, believe in each other, believe in your capabilities, believe in positive thinking, believe in your future and believe that you are counted. This was the belief of the bush community of Hageulu.

“We, the Isabel people are a powerful community through our spirit of oneness and cooperation and our trust in each other.

“We don’t wait for manna to fall from heaven. There is no manna when we have natural resources, because manna only falls when we are in the wilderness. And we have never been, or will never be in wilderness.

“Let 2017 be the year when we will grasp the truth of ‘by the sweat of thy eyebrows, you shall live’. For such is our calling. For God can only bless us if we do this,” he said.

Mr Manehia said Hageulu community’s next fundraising drive will be next year and the fundraising will be held at Huali village.

He said leaders of Huali community has offered their willingness to host the next fundraising.

Mr Manehia said the relationship between Huali and Hageulu communities have been established over decades ago and that the two communities have worked together to host fundraisings for each other.

He said his team is now working on programmes and activities earmarked for 2018.

Mr Manehia reiterated that the future of individuals, families and community are rested upon individuals, families and community’s shoulders therefore working together is very important.

“Our future is in our own hands, no one can answer this, only ourselves but we can only seek for subsidising.

“Advancing our people’s lives hinge upon our support of and for one another. Self-reliance is not a far off reality, we only need to sit back and count our God given potentials and blessings. We have them in abundance,” Mr Manehia said.