BRIGHT FUTURES

The modest grounds of Hilohon Primary School, New Ireland Province, were transformed into a scene of celebration, despite the rain, when a convoy arrived with a library’s worth of books donated by Books 4 PNG Kids.

As these photos from 3A Composites PNG’s Gina Vidamo-Tong show, the delivery of 72 boxes of books from Books 4 PNG Kids was a dream come true for the community, transforming the library into a place where children can dream big, immerse themselves in books during school breaks, fire their imaginations with tales from around the world and embrace a brighter future.

“Education is the cornerstone of progress. By opening this library, we are not just providing books; we are opening doors to countless opportunities for the children of Hilohon and the future leaders that will come from this school,” said Gina, HR manager for 3A Composites PNG Ltd.

The library is a testament to the generosity of Books 4 PNG Kids, she said, backed by 3A Composites PNG Ltd and local businessman Albert Tong, who ensured the dream of a library full of books became a reality by shipping the books from Brisbane-Rabaul and delivering them to the school.

Hilohon’s headmistress Mrs Deline Murpidik Kunai had long nurtured the dream of a library where students could immerse themselves in the wonders of reading and learning.

“This library is more than just a room filled with books. It is a beacon of hope and a testament to the power of collaboration.

“We thank Books 4 PNG Kids, 3A Composites PNG Ltd, and Albert Tong for their unwavering support.”

Earlier this year, 3A Composites delivered 64 cartons of books donated by Books 4 PNG Kids to two other New Ireland schools: St Xavier Ulaputur Primary and St Martins of Tours Namatanai Primary School. Each school received 32 boxes.

Namatanai District is the southernmost district of New Ireland, a large island in the north of PNG.

New Ireland’s capital, Kavieng, is about 870km northeast of Port Moresby but it’s easier to reach Namatanai District by boat from Rabaul or Kokopo on the island of New Britain than from Kavieng.