New classrooms for Kotuni kids

DIGICEL Foundation has built two elementary school classrooms for  Kotuni village, northwest of Gorka town.
The classrooms were funded by the foundation under its community assistance programme.
Community leaders, including former Correctional Services Minister and Goroka MP Henry Smith, and former Goroka town mayor and businessman Michael Gotaha applauded  Digicel Foundation for the assistance.
“Digicel is moving ahead and is the leading mobile communication company in PNG. Let’s support them so that they can continue to return to us with more help,” Mr Smith said.
Mr Gotaha called on the people to look after the classrooms.
Goroka district administrator Bill Kavanamur, manager of Goroka rural local level government Ismael Sapak and Eastern Highlands provincial elementary school coordinator Simon Itupi also applauded Digicel Foundation, saying they will work in close consultations to develop the school further.
Other community leaders including Kotuni Elementary School chairman James Aitapo said they were surprised by Digicel Foundation’s initiative to build the classrooms.
The two classrooms replaced kunai grass thatched roofs they used as classrooms for the past 10 years.
“We are very happy with the support and will continue to have more faith in Digicel Foundation,” Mr Aitapo said.
Leaders of four clans in Kotuni and Digicel Foundation representative Bruce Tandawai signed a memorandum of agreement (MoA) to confirm the transfer of the classrooms to the people of Kotuni.
Mr Gotaha signed as the witness of the MoA.
Mr Tandawai, speaking on behalf of Digicel Foundation, told the people of Kotuni that the low-cost maintenance building would serve to educate the community’s future generation.
The construction of building followed a visit by Digicel Foundation CEO Marina Van Der Vlies to Kotuni Elementary School last year.