Lae: Today the Digicel Foundation launched it’s 21st Community Learning Centre (CLC) at the Duna Elementary School, West Taraka in Lae.

The Digicel Foundation strives to support projects that provide opportunities that will inspire and build positive energy in its citizens, which will in turn lead to stronger, self sufficient communities. The Community Learning Centre in the West Taraka Community is the realization of Digicel Foundation’s vision to make a difference and play a positive role in peoples lives in PNG.

The Digicel Foundation recently became aware of the misfortune the Duna elementary school had just one year ago when the permanent classrooms, that had been built by the community themselves, were burnt to the ground including all the school materials inside. Since then the community has kept the school going through their own strength and extra resources. There are nearly 200 young children attending the Duna elementary school which was established by the Duna family 10 years ago and the numbers are still increasing. The Foundation was very impressed by the self reliance shown by the West Taraka Community and the Duna Elementary School Board. The Foundation believes in stepping in and supporting those communities who are already helping themselves by funding basic infrastructure to improve community learning.

The new Community Learning Centre (CLC) will help the West Taraka Community grow by giving the community access to a safe and secure community facility which will be used as a pre-school classroom as well as a valuable resource for the community. The CLC also contains a library with 100 childrens books donated by Hope Worldwide PNG as well as some basic furniture donated by Gondi Hardware.

For the Digicel Foundation this is only the beginning as it plans on rolling out a total of 25 CLC’s in PNG by the end of May 2009. Another 15 CLC’s are planned to be rolled out in the following 12 months bringing the total to 40 CLC’s launched in PNG.