BSP’s 50-FOR-50 GIVE BACK INITIATIVE BRINGS HOPE TO YOUNG LEARNERS AT LEALEA

BY RAYLEEN WANJIMAN
A significant milestone was marked in Lealea Village this week, as community and BSP team gathered to break ground on a new double classroom for the Lealea Salvation Army Early Learning Centre bringing new hope for the village’s youngest learners.

The groundbreaking ceremony was jointly officiated by BSP Group Chief Information Officer Ray Naicker and Hiri Koiari MP Keith Iduhu under BSP’s 50-for-50 Give Back Initiative, which is delivering 50 community projects worth K50,000 each to commemorate Papua New Guinea’s 50th anniversary.

For more than 25 years, the Lealea Salvation Army Early Learning Centre has nurtured children between the ages of four and seven, providing early childhood education in a church and instilling Christian values despite operating with limited resources.

The new classroom is expected to provide a safer and more conducive learning environment for generations of children to come.

Speaking at the ceremony, Mr Naicker said the project reflects BSP’s commitment to giving back to the communities that have shaped its people.

He also announced an additional K30,000 through BSP’s Community Projects Program to further support the construction.
Mr Naicker commended the Salvation Army for its decades of dedication to educating young children and acknowledged BSP staff whose initiative helped bring the project to life.

Meanwhile, Hiri Koiari MP Keith Iduhu described education as one of the district’s highest priorities, saying investing in children is an investment in the future of the community.

He praised the partnership between BSP and the Salvation Army and announced a further K50,000 from the district to support the project.

Once completed, the new double classroom will expand learning space for children in Lealea Village, ensuring more young students have access to quality early childhood education and a stronger foundation for the future.