PNGSDP funds buildings for Jiwaka school

THE Giramben Primary School community, in Jiwaka, Western Highlands, recently celebrated the opening of two staff duplex and a double classroom.
The opening was a significant event in the school’s 13-year history. 
The Papua New Guinea Sustainable Development Programme Ltd (PNGSDP) provided counterpart funding of K121,000 towards the infrastructure project initiated by the school’s former principal Paul Wan.
PNGSDP’s officers Bob Ande and Garry Laka attended the event.
“This is a small project that will have a big impact through the intake of 100 students this year and the years after,” Ande said.
He thanked all partners and those who had helped to make the project a success.
“I would like to encourage you all to think about how each of us can contribute to the development of our communities,” he said. 
“Each year, we receive a lot of applications which ask PNGSDP to pay people to help themselves.  In other words ‘pay me to help me’. 
“Gone are those days. We encourage local communities to help themselves before asking for assistance. It falls back to communities to take the first steps before we give a helping hand.”      
School chairman Pr Paul Pora thanked PNGSDP for the support.
PNGSDP was first introduced to Giramben Primary School in August 2010 when it was a school of 330 students and 13 teachers, with only one permanent staff house and six permanent classrooms.
They asked the programme for support to build a double classroom and teachers’ house. 
After looking through the proposal and follow-up consultation with the school, PNGSDP had no doubt that this could be considered for funding and with the support of the programme manager, Lawrence Stephens, a submission was prepared.
On learning of the progress and development of the school, which started off as an elementary school in 1998, the submission for funding of K121,000 was approved  by the board in November 2010.
Ande said the PNGSDP had a mission to bring meaningful and sustainable development to remote parts of PNG. 
“The company’s primary focus is Western, the home of Ok Tedi Mine, from which the funding is sourced.  
“In some ways it should be seen as a gift from the people of the Western to the people of Jiwaka,” he said.