Church donates stationery, desks to schools

National

THE Church of Latter-Day Saints (LDS) have visited eight schools in the National Capital District and donated desks, chairs and stationery.
The LDS, the charity arm of the church and its donator partner Pacific Assist wanted to see how they were being used by children.
The team also visited Port Moresby General Hospital where they saw the need of patients needing electric beds.
The team included LDS charity country manager Eddie Alembo, Pacific Assist directors Riki Tukukino and Richard McLean who were based in Melbourne, Australia and church members.
Badihagwa Technical Secondary School principal Maru Bala thanked the donor partners for giving them 40 chairs and 40 desks.
Badihagwa was given that much during the distribution of 1200 desks and 797 chairs to 21 schools in the National Capital District and Central last month.
Bala said the help was timely when the school was about to start.
He said each classroom had more than 50 students and some were using those chairs.
During a visit to Gerehu Primary School, seven students were seen standing and eight students sitting on the floor because they have no desks to sit.
Tukukino said they had identified more needs for the schools including expansion of the ablution blocks.
Tukukino said next lot of container with furniture would help fix the shortages in those schools.
Alembo said they were looking on at school furniture to deliver to schools.
Alembo said some schools want new ablution blocks.
He said they only stick to furniture depending on the availability of funds.
LDS charity who is paying the cost of the shipment of the furniture urged schools,
Education Department, and other interested organisation to partner with them and meet the cost.
Alembo urged partners to share the cost and help the schools and students.