Locals aid uni student

National, Normal
Source:

The National, Monday 23rd January 2012

By ZACHERY PER
MAGGY Buf enters her final year at the University of Papua New Guinea and thanks Alekano Savings and Loan Society for helping pay her fees.
The society based in Goroka in the Eastern Highlands gave Buf, a final year bachelor of economics student, K3,780 for her tuition fees for this year.
In fact, the society began paying for Buf’s school fees in Grades 11 and 12 at the Goroka Secondary School in 2007 and 2008.
It continued paying her tuition fees when she enrolled at the University of UPNG in 2009, 2010 and last year.
Buf, who comes from Kafuku village near Goroka town, has proved to be a promising young academic achiever.
She has been the only recipient of the Alekano sponsorship since 2007.
The initiative to assist in her fees was a brainchild of former chairman of the Alekano board of management Binn Huletove.
Chairman Ron Napitalai said although Alekano was a small savings and loan society, it valued the importance of human capital in nation building. Therefore, it had taken the investment in the long-term interest of the society, province and the nation.
He said that there were no strings attached to the sponsorship.
“Alekano is interested in the recipient excelling academically for the common good of the country,’’ he said.
“We believe that young people who show academic potential needed support of some sort to become professionals so that they can contribute meaningfully to nation building.
“When we assist one person, that one person in the end can take care of many more people.”
He said Buf who had always used her school holidays to help at the society’s office had requested assistance for the final time.
In 2011, she scored a GPA of 4.8 and was placed under the academic excellence category for government scholarship. She needed K3,780 as her portion of the tuition fees.
“We were overwhelmingly pleased with her academic results and without hesitation offered her assistance,” the society’s Ruben Elijah said.