Mr. Jesse Leta, Founder of Indigenous Kokoda Adventures, Papua New Guinea.

Jesse Leta is the founder of Indigenous Kokoda Adventures, the first wholly Indigenous, locally owned, led, and operated tour operator on the Kokoda Track in Papua New Guinea. While Jesse currently lives and works in Port Moresby with his family, he was born and raised in the village of Naduri so he is well acquainted with the continuing struggle to escape the cycle of poverty that still exists there. He has made it his life focus to change the current conditions on the Track. 

Education of the younger population (both boys and girls), equal opportunity for women and better employment conditions for the porters and guides are all qualities that guide Jesse’s decisions and actions. Jesse and IKA are also working with some of the local coffee growers from the Kokoda area and they have Indigenous Kokoda Adventures branded coffee available for purchase with the net proceeds going to the IKA Foundation to help fund the children’s education. 

“Our coffee is called Kokoda Luti which means heart of Kokoda and is named for our children because these children are the heart of the people that live along the Kokoda Track as well as the future of the communities that are located there.”