Celebrating 10 years with BSP
Buk bilong Pikinini (BbP) and BSP Financial Group Limited hosted an event to celebrate 10 years of partnership at Lae Unitech on the 16th of March.
BbP opened a Library Learning Centre (LLC) with Platinum sponsor BSP at Lae Unitech in 2012 to support children from surrounding communities with an Early Childhood Education program and access to library services.
10 years later - with more than one thousand children having attended BbP’s Early Childhood Education program (which gives them the opportunity to become literate before starting school), - the community and BbP will be celebrating and thanking BSP Group CEO Mr Robin Fleming and team for their generous support.
The event program will include testimonies from past students such as Miss Tehilla Anthony aged 15, who attended BbP’s program in 2013. She is now in Grade 9 at Bugandi Seconary School.
Ms Anthony said: “The BbP program gave me great confidence in speaking. It also taught me to read and write at age 5 which really helped with my schooling and I was Dux of my class. It also taught me to be respectful of my parents.” Tehilla is aspiring to be a doctor and still loves reading.
Another past student Mr Gordon Beube aged 14, who attended BbP’s program in 2014 is now in Grade 10 at Busu Secondary School is well on his way to achieve his dream.
Mr Beube said: “After going through the BbP program my reading level was so high that I went straight to Grade 3. I am now the one of the youngest in my grade and am getting good results. I am aspiring to become an engineer.”
Children from the class of 2021 will be back to demonstrate their reading skills, current students will show their new skills and BbP’s Head Teacher Librarian Judith Tom and Leanne Resson, Executive Officer will reflect on the 10 years at Unitech with BSP.
Anne-Sophie Hermann, BbP Founder and Chairperson said:
“As we are celebrating our 15 years of Buk bilong Pikinini’s operations this year – we are honored to have the opportunity to thank BSP for their extraordinary 10 years of support for the children from settlements and communities at Lae Unitech. It is thanks to the support from companies such as our Platinum sponsor BSP – which has also supported us with Library Learning Centres in Goroka and Manus – that we are able to have a transformative impact on the lives of the children in our programs, ensuring that they receive the best possible foundations upon which to build their education. We could not be more grateful.”
Leanne Resson, BbP Executive Officer said: “It is so heartening to hear of the great results achieved by the children every time we come to visit this library. Many children come from the Madang Block (Igatang) next to the university and the parents are incredibly grateful for the free program we are able to offer their children thanks to the support we receive from BSP.
The fact that they have learnt key skills that will help them throughout school - like phonics, comprehension, problem solving and manners/virtues. That is why we are always grateful to sponsors like BSP and other partners who are able to make this happen for children every year to expand BbP's mission.
We are looking forward to seeing children in great professional roles and hope that they will continue to reflect back on their time with Buk bilong Pikinini.”
