The Ausenco Foundation is proud to announce a partnership with Buk bilong Pikinini (BbP) which establishes and runs children’s libraries across Papua New Guinea (PNG) to help disadvantaged children develop their learning and literacy skills. The Ausenco Foundation’s funding supports the BbP “Hohola” library located at the Red Cross Special Education Resource Centre (RCSERC) in Port Moresby, which provides assistance to more than 200 disabled children enrolled at the school. The BbP Hohola library has a special focus on supporting hearing impaired children and provides access to books and sign language tuition in basic literacy and numeracy for more 70 students on a daily basis. Additionally, the Foundation’s funding will help the BbP librarians develop a disability awareness and education program which will be rolled out to BbP’s other 13 libraries across PNG.
Ausenco Foundation Chairman Zimi Meka said he was delighted to be able to support an organisation which has such a strong focus on helping disabled children in communities where they might otherwise not receive any education. “The Ausenco Foundation believes that all children should have the opportunity to discover and develop their full potential, regardless of their location,” Mr Meka said. “We are very pleased to play a small part in helping children at the Buk bilong Pikinini library and, through the disability awareness program, the children and families of the other Buk bilong Pikinini libraries.” Buk bilong Pikinini’s founder Anne-Sophie Hermann said “Buk bilong Pikinini provides valuable learning opportunities for the most vulnerable children in PNG.
We are delighted to have the support from the Ausenco Foundation to both strengthen our program for the hearing impaired children at Hohola but also to work on increasing the awareness of the needs of the disabled children across the country. Disabled children are often forgotten and are not given the opportunity to learn but are just as entitled to an education as any other child.” Noah Agino, Head Teacher librarian at the BbP Hohola library at RCSERC said: “I would like to build a support network for hearing impaired and disabled people in Papua New Guinea. With the support of Buk bilong Pikinini and the Ausenco Foundation we will be able to motivate the children and their families to believe that they can achieve a good education and that is an important first step.” “Buk bilong Pikinini believes that literacy and health are issues, which are closely linked.
This is why Buk bilong Pikinini works closely with a number of organisations in order to bring important health messages to the children’s attention. A strong emphasis is placed on educating the children on life threatening illnesses such as HIV/aids, cholera, tuberculosis and malaria.” BbP provides more than 2500 children’s books in each of its libraries, alongside educational toys, craft and learning materials. Books are also available for home loan. Thanks to the partnership with the Ausenco Foundation the children at the RCSERC will now also be supported in their learning through visual programs – 10 portable DVD players and new sign language materials were provided as part of the Foundation’s financial support.
For more information on BbP, please visit http://bukbilongpikinini.org/