Welcome to Our Website
Our Mission
Creating children's libraries
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
Buk bilong Pikinini is an independent charity based in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea which aims to foster children’s enjoyment of books. In PNG there are few functioning libraries outside the school system and most children do not have access to books at all. 

The purpose of Buk bilong Pikinini is to focus on early learning (as a key to literacy) through the creation of small libraries in children’s hospitals and also near clinics, market places and settlements. We collect books from private individuals and publishing houses and seek to obtain funding for our libraries though various fundraising efforts as well as through corporate sponsorships.

An important factor in sustaining Buk bilong Pikinini libraries is the employment of teacher-librarians to mind and secure the books, but also to fulfill the intention of this charity, which is namely to introduce the children to books and to read to them.

Our main ongoing expenses are salaries for our ever-growing number of employees, library maintenance and administration costs.
 
 
Six libraries and counting ...
News
Wednesday, 02 June 2010 13:31

Buk bilong Pikinini continues to open children’s libraries.

With six libraries already up and running in Papua New Guinea, Buk bilong Pikinini (BbP) is currently planning to set up many more with the help of our supporters and donors.

 

Buk bilong Pikinini believes that children are the future and that education is the best pathway to improving quality of life and economic growth in Papua New Guinea. We aim to improve the children’s chances of gaining literacy by giving them access to quality books in a stimulating and caring environment. We employ trained teacher-librarians at each of our libraries to read to the children and to conduct literacy-based activities. 

 

Our libraries have been a huge success with anywhere between 60-150 children visiting on certain days of the week.  Many children from the surrounding settlements return daily to these libraries, using this very real opportunity to improve their individual chances of one day being able to read and write - something most of us take for granted. Indeed, we currently estimate that across the country somewhere between 500-800 children visit our libraries on any given weekday.

 

Port Moresby General Hospital

 

 

 

The first library was opened in the Children’s HIV/TB and Malnutrition Ward of Port Moresby General Hospital in April 2008.

 

 

 

 

The second library is situated at the Red Cross Special Education and Resource Centre at Hohola, which is a school for mainly hearing impaired children, and was opened in September 2008.

 

The third near the town centre of Port Moresby next to the Lawes Road General Health Clinic. This library was the first to be open to the public.  

 

The fourth library is at the Six Mile Police Station, market place and settlement just outside Port Moresby. The library was opened in November 2009.

 

The fifth library is the first provincial library and is situated next to a large settlement in Lae. This library was opened in December 2009.

 

The sixth library is the second provincial library and is situated in Goroka in the Highlands of Papua New Guinea. This library was opened in May 2010.


  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 
Founders

Buk bilong Pikinini was founded in March 2007 by Anne-Sophie Hermann (right) and Anna Mukerjee (left). 

 

 


 
 

NEWS

Oxford University Press + Buk bilong Pikinini = Literacy

 

Buk bilong Pikinini is proud to have Oxford University Press as a major donor of new books, but also as an important sponsor of an upcoming library in the Gerehu settlement of Port Moresby. The Oxford University Pacific team has worked assiduously for many years to bring high quality books to Papua New Guinea, and shares the passion with Buk bilong Pikinini of making children in PNG happy, well-informed readers.

This article describes Oxford University Press’ history and philosophy in PNG.

Oxford University Press is the oldest, largest and most prestigious university press in the world. It is not a commercial company; it is a department of the Oxford University which has been incorporated in the United Kingdom since 1571. The Press furthers the University’s objectives of excellence in research, scholarship, and education by publishing worldwide.

More ... Go to the NEWS section. 

 
 
Patron

Buk bilong Pikinini is proud to have Christine Anu as the charity's patron. Christine visited Papua New Guinea in March 2009 where she toured the Buk bilong Pikinini library at Port Moresby General Hospital, performed in the grounds of the Australian High Commision and assisted with fund raising efforts.