Where It All Began

 

Founded on Anzac Day 2003, KTF was created to honour the selfless support of the Fuzzy Wuzzy Angels and the people of the Kokoda Track during World War II.

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Led by passionate Australians -  including our CEO, Dr Genevieve Nelson - we began as a small volunteer group focused on one goal: helping children in remote Kokoda communities access education.

 

"The Spirit of Kokoda lives on - not just in memory, but in action."
Dr Genevieve Nelson, KTF CEO

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Education is Essential

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Believing in the transformative power of education, our mission was simple - to raise funds among passionate Australian supporters to provide education opportunities for students from remote Track communities.

 

• Fuzzy Wuzzy Angel Scholarships helped elementary and primary students to attend school along the Track. 

• High school scholarships for children from the Track communities to attend high school (most as boarding students). 

• The Bisset Medal also supported a small number of students through tertiary studies. 

 

Between 2003 - 2010, we supported 3,000 education scholarships.

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With support from generous donors, our work grew along the Track and greater Kokoda catchment - helping schools with much-needed resources, teacher salaries, and even some classrooms. It also allowed us to start our health program, helping aid posts across Oro and the Track with vital medical supplies, re-opening closed facilities in consultation with the PHA, and supporting CHW wages and aid post operations. 

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Kokoda College: A Legacy of Learning

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In 2012, on the 70th anniversary of the Kokoda campaign, four Kokoda Veterans turned the sod on the construction of Kokoda College, to become a thriving education institute, in honour and memory of those Kokoda veterans who sacrificed so much.   

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Teach for Tomorrow: A Turning Point

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2016 saw a critical training program for 330 of Oro’s elementary teachers. Without this course, these teachers would have been removed from the government payroll, meaning no teachers to teach thousands of students. Teach for Tomorrow was a turning point in KTF’s story. 

 

Once we trained the teachers in Oro, we realised thousands of teachers across the country were facing the same problem. KTF spread its wings outside and partnered with Provincial Departments of Education, communities, trainers, teachers, and the private sector to deliver the training to 3,685 teachers across 14 Provinces. 

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A New Name for Growing Impact

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With this growth, we realised our name also needed to reflect our work in other provinces. We also understand the significance of the Kokoda name to the people of the Kokoda Track. So, outside of the Track region, ‘Kokoda Track Foundation’ became ‘KTF’.

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Celebrating 50 years of PNG's Independence

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On September 16, 2025, we celebrated PNG's 50th Independence Anniversary. We produced Trek to 50, a documentary dedicated to 50 years of Independence and a lifetime of friendship. The documentary follows a group of individuals whose lives have been deeply impacted by KTF as they trek along the Kokoda Track up to Isurava.

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​​​Where we work today

 

KTF now delivers programs across Papua New Guinea, with hubs in:​

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Support our work

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Your support helps us keep the Spirit of Kokoda alive - providing opportunities and strengthening communities across Papua New Guinea. Find out how you can join us in creating real change.​​​​