Investment in education has always been a priority for Digicel Foundation therefore it is pleased to announce the completion of a 8-in-1 double-story classroom for Tubusereia Primary School in the Hiri-Koiari District, Central Province. The project was completed in September 2022 at a cost of K1.02 million with a contribution of K50,000 from the school. This is the first biggest classroom construction funded by Digicel Foundation.

The School has a plan to become a Junior High School which will allow students from the neighboring villages to remain within the area to continue their education without having to travel miles away to boarding school to access Grades 9 and 10. A key requirement to ensure this becomes a reality is extra classrooms to cater for the increase in enrollment which is something we were pleased to partner with the school to address.

Mr Manu Momo, Chairman of the School Board said, “The 8 in 1 classroom for Tubusereia Primary School by Digicel Foundation is by far the single most significant infrastructure development for the school in years. The new set of classrooms also signifies a greater milestone for the school and community in realising its dream and wish to elevate Tubusereia Primary School to a Junior High School catering for students from Tubusereia Village and the surrounding communities within the next three years. For that, I on behalf of the School’s Board of Management, say a very big Thank You to Digicel Foundation.”

The completed school infrastructure project comes with eight fully furnished classrooms inclusive of 120 standard student desks and chairs, whiteboards, pin boards and teachers’ tables and chairs for each classroom. The project also includes two 9,000L Tuffa tanks on a reinforced concrete base with a lockable tap to ensure the students have access to clean drinking water.

Oliver Camplin-Warner, Head of Telstra International which overseas Digicel Pacific was there to officiate the event and said, “The work of the Foundation over the past 13 years has been a wonderful achievement for us and we are proud to continue in the rich tradition of Digicel which is to give back to communities through the Digicel Foundation. We welcome Tubusereia Primary School into our own Digicel and Telstra Foundation footprint that spans across all of PNG, Australia and parts of South East Asia.”

Since its establishment in 2008, Digicel Foundation has invested over K162 million into social projects reaching 936, 000 direct beneficiaries in all the 89 districts in PNG.

In Central Province alone, we have invested K9.422 million into projects including:

• 25 double classrooms for Primary Schools & 1 x 4 in 1 classroom building

• 8 school libraries

• 3 Ambulances & 3 rural health aid posts

• 12 community learning centres

Digicel PNG Foundation will continue to work in partnership with the government, communities and other stakeholders to ensure we create a world where no one is left behind.