BSP donates solar panels, lights to Bougainville school

Bank South Pacific has installed new solar lights at a local school in the Autonomous region of Bougainville.
BSP’s Buka branch installed four new solar panels with lights for classrooms, and one street light complete with a new battery at Burunotui Vocational Centre in Buka.
“With this project, the benefits of having electricity at schools will go beyond just lighting to study at night,” said BSP Buka branch manager Julie Warren.
“This also provides a sense of security for the community.
“Getting here to do this handover ceremony was a challenge in itself.
“I acknowledge and commend the centre’s administration and the community for ensuring access to education for students.”
Warren said it took a lot for schools and their communities to operate in environments such as this where access to basics such as power and lights were a daily struggle.
The village is a two-hour drive and a 15 minute boat trip from Buka Town.
Burunotui Vocational Centre manager Anne Lingling expressed her gratitude.
She praised BSP for choosing the centre as part of BSP’s community project initiative for 2018.
Lingling said in the long run it would help in the development stage of the school and its students, preparing them for a better future in education.
She said the community on the island appreciated and valued BSP’s support through its many community projects in Bougainville.
BSP staff also presented additional gifts for the school including mattresses, pillows, office chairs, cooking bowls and buckets for students to use.