Over 370 schools receiving hygiene supplies and awareness

MORE than 370 elementary schools across New Ireland are receiving donations of vital hygiene supplies and the Covid-19 awareness materials from an Australian non-government organisation in partnership with a mine operator.
The Kokoda Track Foundation (KTF) are working with Newcrest Mining on “Project Airborne”, which is designed to keep school children and communities safe in New Ireland, through the delivery of hygiene supplies and the messaging of the Covid-19’s “Niupela Pasin”. Newcrest chief operating officer (PNG operations) Craig Jones said with provincial borders closed, KTF’s partnership with the New Ireland education division had facilitated the roll-out of supplies, training the province’s elementary teacher trainers to deliver awareness messaging and distribute supplies to teachers at the schools they support.
At the project’s official launch, with New Ireland health authority chief executive officer Dr Joachim Taulo, acting CEO of New Ireland education division Apelis Benson explained what these supplies meant for schools.
“To have people to support the education sector is a blessing,” he said.
“I would like to say thank you to the management of Newcrest for using partners to transparently use the funding so that it impacts where it is required.
“We thank the Kokoda Track Foundation as they partner with Newcrest to deliver these very important PPEs to our schools.
“To have Newcrest and KTF is truly a blessing, we are grateful for such partnerships.”
Total supplies delivered across the province included 2,232 reusable masks, 1,116 disinfectants, 372 touchless thermometers, 744 Covid-19 awareness manuals, 2,604 awareness posters in both English and Tok Pisin, 744 tippy taps and 26,784 soaps to be distributed to each school within all local level government (LLG) areas throughout New Ireland.
Grace Lomba, who is Tikana local level government cluster No.6 coordinator from New Ireland education division, has been trained and received supplies for the schools on her island of Djaul.
She said she was impressed by both the training received by teachers and grateful to Newcrest and KTF for the supplies to support that knowledge, a first for the island.
Kokoda Foundation CEO Dr Genevieve Nelson said the deliveries had been an exercise in true partnership.