The Digicel PNG Foundation funded the classrooms,water tank and 30 school desks at a total cost of K60,000. The new facility will accomodate Children in Grades 7 & 8. Taking less than 3 months to complete, the project harnessed the human resources available in the local community, deploying both skilled and unskilled laborers from Omai.  Students, workers, teachers were joined at the ceremony by a large crowd from the rest of the Omai community, all demonstrating their enthusiasm and appreciation for this new addition to their local educational facilities.

Local MP for Imbongu District, Mr. Frances Awesa, was also present to witness the launch.

Max Randau is a Community leader and teaches at the school. He said:

“We are very happy and grateful that the Digicel Foundation recognised our communities need. The grade 7 & 8 students will now be able to benefit from a better learning environment. This new double classroom will help our community grow into well educated people with all the opportunites for good employment for the future thanks to the Digicel Foundation.”

In Omai, the Digicel PNG Foundation is supporting a proactive, self-motivated community. With no primary education facilities provided in the area, the people of Omai set up their own primary school in 2000. Since then the school has been integrated into the Government sytem and has grown rapidly. Now - with over 300 pupils and 9 teachers - the school needs extra teaching space to ensure that all the students have the necessary facilities, conducive to a positive learning environment.

Marina van der Vlies, CEO of the Digicel Foundation, said:

“We are proud to be launching the second Digicel Foundation school project here at Omai primary school . Thanks to the hard work and dedication of the community this double classroom has now become reality. We hope that the students here will benefit from this new facility and will realise their dreams for a better future through education.”

The Foundation is currently engaged in another 3 school infrastructure projects throughout the country. By improving the learning environment for young children, the Digicel Foundation enhances children’s lives, giving them a positive outlook for their future.

ENDS

About Digicel Foundation

The Digicel Foundation is a non-profit organisation which was established by Digicel in Papua New Guinea in September 2008. The Digicel Foundation distributes and utilises funds on a charitable basis for the sole purpose of building communities and community spirit in PNG. The Foundation is primarily staffed by employees of Digicel who assist communities through their time, expertise and leadership. The Patron of the Digicel Foundation is Denis O’Brien, the Chairman and Founder of the Digicel Group. The Digicel Foundation is the third Foundation to be established by Digicel, and the first in the Pacific region, following the establishment of the Foundation in Jamaica in 2004 and in Haiti in 2007. In Haiti the Foundation succeeded in building 20 primary schools, throughout the country, within a year providing a huge boost for the quality of the education in the country.

ENDS