BSP HANDS OVER CLASSROOMS TO LEALEA EARLY LEARNING CENTRE

BY RAYLEEN WANJIMAN

BSP has officially handed over a newly constructed double classroom to the Salvation Army Lealea Early Learning Centre in Central Province on 10th November 2026 to improve learning facilities for children in the community.

For 26 years, the Lealea Early Learning Centre operated using the church hall as its learning space, with limited facilities to accommodate children and support their early education.

The project was delivered with a total BSP contribution of K80,000, comprising K50,000 under its 50for50 GivimBek initiative and an additional K30,000 through the bank’s Community Projects Program.

The handover follows a ground-breaking ceremony held in July 2026 with construction commencing on September 14 and successfully completed on October 19.

Speaking at the handover ceremony, BSP Group Chief Risk Officer Benjamin Wavell-Smith said the project demonstrated the bank’s commitment to supporting communities and investing in initiatives that improve people’s lives.

He said the new classroom would provide children with a better environment for learning and development, recognising early childhood education as an important foundation for their future years of schooling.

Mr Wavell-Smith also acknowledged BSP staff from Lealea who initiated the project, saying the initiative provided employees with an opportunity to give back to the communities they came from.

Meanwhile,Salvation Army Secretary Frank Gama Junior said completing the building was challenging, with delays in obtaining construction materials, ongoing power outages and difficulties managing the allocated funds.

However the construction was successfully completed within 6 weeks and acknowledged the support of BSP, the local community, contractors and other stakeholders who contributed to bringing the project to completion.

Mr Gama said the new classroom would serve children in the community for many years to come thanking everyone involved in making the project possible.

The Lealea classroom marks another successful project delivered under BSP’s 50for50 GivimBek initiative, which was launched to support 50 community projects across Papua New Guinea in commemoration of the country’s 50th Independence anniversary in 2025.