March 19th 2009 - Mobile Learning Centre for Moitaka Ridge Community

Today the Digicel Foundation launched it’s  9th Mobile Learning Centre (MLC) in partnership with Hope Worldwide (PNG) at the 9 Mile Clinic in Port Moresby.

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 Mobile Learning Centre at the 9 Mile Clinic, which will cater for the people of 9 Mile Moitaka Ridge is the realization of Digicel Foundation’s vision to make a difference and play a positive role in peoples lives in PNG.

Hope Worldwide funded the building of the 9 Mile urban health clinic 9 years ago. The clinic serves the many settlers living in the 9 Mile area. The clinic is run by Hope Worldwide in partnership with the Department of Health. The Mobile Learning Centre will serve as a child care facility for the many healthy children that come to the clinic together with their sick family members. The Mobile Learning Centre contains a small library with 300 childrens books as well as school materials such as school black boards so that it can be used for basic education purposes. The Centre will be open for visiting children daily on week days from 8 until 12 PM. In the afternoons it will be open as a health information centre for the community.

The launch of The Mobile Learning Centre has been a joint effort with the community, government, NGOs and business houses putting their hands together to make it happen. Rotary Against Malaria donated the 2nd hand container, Hope Worldwide donated the books, Morata Vocational Centre hand made the school blackboards and NCDC together with the community prepared  the road. These activities all helped to launch the Mobile Learning Centre here today.

This is only the beginning as the Digicel Foundation plans on rolling out a total of 25 MLC’s in PNG by May 2009. Besides the roll out of Mobile Learning Centres the Foundation has completely rebuilt a primary and elementary school with 8 class rooms (including black boards and new school desks), a staff room, a library, a toilet block and a water tank in Barakau village, Central Province within a 4 month time frame. The school was launched in November. The Foundation is currently engaged in another 4 school buildings project throughout the country.