Water tanks and desks for Western Province School

Western Province has one of the country’s largest land mass, covered by swampy areas. Transportation is either by road, on foot, over the water or only accessible by air. Western Province is a challenging area for businesses to operate in but that has not stopped BSP Financial Group Ltd (BSP) from serving the people of North, Middle and South Fly Districts through its Tabubil,  Kiunga and Daru Branches.

BSP Group General Manager – Retail, Daniel Faunt said BSP’s 41,000 plus customers in the province comes from as far as Oksapmin and Teleformin in neighbouring Sandaun Province. The customers also come from the remote Ningerum, upper Ok Tedi, corridors of Fly River, Kiunga and Tabubil Highway villages, Daru Island, rural Kiwai and to some extent those in the Torres Strait Islands.

“We have been operating in Kiunga since 1983 and we have been giving back to communities through our annual Community Projects.  Since 2009, we have delivered 36 community projects to the value of K825, 000 to various communities in the Western Province,” said Mr Faunt.

One of the most recent project was at St Montfort Primary School in Kiunga. Classes in Montfort have been interrupted in the past due to water supply issues but this will no longer be the case as they now have access to a clean, reliable water source following the delivery and installation of a water tank by BSP.

Donation of Solar panels to Daru High School by BSP Daru Branch in 2018.

In addition, they no longer have to sit on the classroom floor during lessons after BSP Kiunga Branch handed over both projects valued at K30, 000 to the school last month.

Head Teacher of St Montfort Primary School Pancres Lawrence in receiving the items commended BSP for the wonderful job in supporting the school and students.

“The students have steel desks to sit and write in the classrooms which makes learning conducive for them. The newly installed water tank will assist students have access to clean drinking water that will cater for more than 1,000 students who will now continue normal classes without being sent home due to water supply shortage at the school.  Now our students are happy and they can enjoy and promote clean water consumption,” Mr Lawrence added.

The Kiunga Branch team volunteered two weekends to help deliver the project for the school, assisting to paint a classroom exterior wall, setting the base of the tank while also assisting in the construction of the desks.

Branch Manager BSP Kiunga Ivy David noted that BSP as the leading financial institution in the Pacific plays a vital role in giving back to the  community in projects such as education, health, sports, environment and other community initiatives. “We are delivering this project for the betterment of our community and the school students.”

This is just one of 36 Community Projects BSP has delivered in the Western Province since 2009. Daru and Tabubil Branches also have selected schools in their areas that they will be delivering projects to this year.

Earlier this year Daru General Hospital received donation of medical equipment, mattresses, office chairs and tables and baby cribs for its maternity ward.

Handover of education materials to Telefomin Primary and Secondary Schools by Tabubil Branch in 2020.

“Our current BSP Daru 2021 project started last week and we are prepared to handover the completed project by the end of this week. We have purchased 40 desks and did painting to one of the pioneer and the oldest classroom,” said Daru Branch Manager Ruben Attai.

“One of the main focus of the branch now is to travel out to the remote stations/locations and start establishing Agents so banking services can reach our rural community/populations who are in dire needs due to the transportation difficulties faced by the people,” explained Attai.