A one-week workshop on Project Design and Appraisal for community development was held in Aitape, from 9th January to 14th January, this year.

The aim of the workshop was part of the diocese's plan to enable capacity building within the organisation. Those who attended included the bishop, priests, nuns, and lay missionaries.

The workshop was facilitated by Fr. Jan Czuba SVD, the President of Divine Word University who had the morning sessions, and Frieda Popen, Development Coordinator of CDS (Community Development Scheme), Momase Regional Office, who co-facilitated in the afternoon. The morning sessions were only for the priests as part of their clergy conference and the afternoon sessions were combined with priests, brothers, nuns and also some staff members of the diocese attending.

During the one-week period the participants were taken through the various parts of the workshop which included understanding the functions of CDS and basically being able to write good project proposals for donor funding.

Fr. Jan also mentioned that the workshop was the first of its kind to be held for an organisation such as a diocese, and that he was happy to be there.

"I hope that through this course you will be able to contribute to your mission entirely," commented Fr. Jan, during his introductory remarks on the first day.

Bishop Austen Crapp ofm, also thanked both facilitators for their gracious efforts in embarking such valuable knowledge to the participants (at no cost). Adding that it was essential for the diocese.

"I thank the Bishop for organising this workshop. There really was a need for this kind of thing in the diocese. Personally, I think I did well in my parish programs because I already had my vision and had made it known to my PST. But after the workshop, it has sharpened my vision more so that for 2006, I'm more confident about the programs I will go into and how I will achieve them," commented the Parish Priest of St. Ignatius Cathedral Parish, Fr. Chinedu Nwadike CSSp, who was also a participant.

He also added that one big problem would be that if the participants (especially priests) were inclined to be indifferent to what had been learnt from the workshop and if this was done, it would just set the diocese back. Therefore, if each Parish Priest sat down and worked out a program for each year, there would be a remarkable change for the diocese within a short period of time.

Aitape Star was also told that the Car Project initiated in 2004 was also a good example to other parishes of being self-reliant. Also planned is another project for rebuilding of the church at St. Joseph's Parish, Tumeleo Island.

The workshop officially ended on Saturday with the presentation of certificates to participants.