The Digicel PNG Foundation contributed K150,000 towards the new concept, steel structure, double classroom at Sivitatana Primary School. The new facility includes office space, 40 new double school benches, school black boards and a water tank. It will accomodate the grade 7 and 8 students starting their new school year.  

This is the 5th school building project the Digicel Foundation has completed since  the launch on October 15th, 2008. The construction of this double classroom took only four weeks to complete, considerably less than previous double classroom building projects. Valuable construction time was saved through the use of a  pre fabricated kit structure, steel frame solution, provided by Atlas Steel. Besides being able to construct the double classroom in record time the steel frame construction provides for a very solid solution with little maintenace needed thereby minimalising the financial burden for the school and the community. The Digicel Foundation plans to rollout another five steel frame double classrooms over the next three months.

In addition the Digicel Foundation funded a two-day hygiene training programme through partner NGO, ATProjects, for school teachers, students and community members. During the training the 50 participants learnt how to construct their own toilets and how to use them in a hygenic way.  

The Chairman of the School Board of Management, Mr. David Malo said during the official launch: “This is a wonderful beginning to our new school year. The community have been given an essential new resource which will help us develop in a positive way. Our children now have a solid roof above their heads to keep them dry, promoting a productive learning environment and a higher quality of education. This is a building that we are proud of and that will be used by many generations to come.”

Marina van der Vlies, CEO of the Digicel Foundation said: “We are very proud to be launching our first new concept double classroom in Sivitatana today. The infrastructure of schools around the country needs urgent attention. This is a new solution that provides for a solid building which can be built quickly and has minimal ongoing maintenance costs.  We hope that this new double classroom will be a new start for the many children in Sivitatana and the surrounding villages and will help them grow into strong and self supportive young adults. We would like to thank you for the warm support we have received from the community and we wish the teachers, students and their families a productive start to the new school year”. 

The Digicel Foundation is working closely with Government, non-government organizations, churches and the private sector to get the Digicel Foundation’s many projects off the ground with the emphasis on the critical areas of Basic Education infrastructure and Family Support related infrastructural projects. To date the Digicel Foundation has funded 39 Community Learning Centres, five  primary school and two elementary school infrastructure projects, a Meri Seif Haus and a Family Support Centre as well as two Mobile Health Clinics. The Digicel Foundation is currently engaged in the construction of another five primary and 10 elementary school building projects, two Meri Seif Hauses and three Family Support Centre projects. By improving infrastructure in the areas of basic education and family support the Digicel Foundation strives to empower communities which in turn will endow them with a positive outlook for their future.