President Jokowi Launches Papua Football Academy with MIND ID Group Members

Papua, 31 August 2022 – President Joko Widodo officially inaugurated the Papua Football Academy or PFA at the Lukas Enembe Stadium in Sentani, Papua, on Wednesday 31 August 2022. President Jokowi initiated the formation of PFA in order to follow up and sustain the XX National Sports Week in Papua in 2021. The MIND ID Group, through PT Freeport Indonesia (PTFI), welcomes the government’s commitment in developing the athletic potential in Papua.

President Joko Widodo appreciates the concrete efforts of PTFI in developing human resources in Papua through the creation of PFA, in line with his mandate at the opening of the Papua XX PON November 2021. “The land of Papua has given birth to accomplished talents.  Through PFA, I hope that students will be able to take this opportunity to gain knowledge in football. We also hope that the students will become football players with strong self-confidence, character, competitive ability, strong sportsmanship, also knowledgeable and smart,” said President Joko Widodo in his speech.

PTFI’s commitment in social investment to develop Papuan human resources through football, is in line with the spirit of MIND ID as the Holding State-Owned Enterprise for the Mining Industry. PTFI hopes that with PFA, the company is able to bring back the glory of football sports in Papua, as well as nurture young Papuan talents to become more professional in sports.

For the first year of PFA, 30 Papuan youths have been selected through a talent recruitment process which was both competitive and transparent, in three cities, Timika, Merauke, and Jayapura, in June 2022.  All of the students received full scholarship to study football for two years.

Football, one of the branches in sports which attract much interest, particularly from male Papuans, is expected to elevate the number of those educated, particularly in Papua.  Each student which was selected, are not only trained in football, but at the same time, also getting educated as well in specifically prepared classes.  Each student, therefore, is also being taught academically.  All students live in dormitories which are managed professionally and trained in the best facilities at the Mimiki Sports Complex constructed by PTFI.

The sports development initiative is in line with MIND ID’s sustainable pathway, particularly in the Community and Society pillar. The MIND ID Group participates in the acceleration of the Human Development Index and maintains relations with stakeholders for the sustainability of the company.

MIND ID’s Director of Institutional Relations, Dany Amrul Ichdan, said: ‘Through the PFA program, MIND ID together with PTFI, stress on three character building efforts for program participants, namely opportunity, hope, and happiness.  Moreover, each student also gets the chance to develop their academic competency.  Thereby creating a balance between the development of football skills and academic skills.”

Tonny Wenas, President Director of PTFI, added: “We provide education and talent optimization for Papuan youths to become football players with intelligence, competitive skills, self-confidence, and adaptive ability.  They also have the chance to become professional football players in the country and in the world.”

Based on the spirit of “From Papua for Indonesia”, it is expected that the presence of the Papua Football Academy is evident of the contribution from the Land of Cenderawasih for the advancement of the Indonesian nation.