Over 2,000 students at Tokarara Secondary School now have daily access to clean, chilled, and filtered drinking water following the official handover of brand-new outdoor water fountains by BSP.

For years, students and staff at the busy Port Moresby school relied on standard garden taps scattered around the school grounds for their daily hydration. While water was available, the school lacked dedicated, hygienic facilities capable of providing cool water, a pressing need during Port Moresby’s intense heat and busy school sports schedule.

The transformation was made possible through a community project by Bank South Pacific (BSP) Financial Group Limited’s Retail Strategic Business Unit.

The School Principal, Mr James Hape, expressed immense gratitude for the impact this will have on students’ daily life.

“Our students have shown incredible resilience over the years, lining up at basic garden taps just to cool down during hot afternoons. These new fountains are a massive step forward for our school’s infrastructure, health, and hygiene. Seeing our students able to fill their bottles with cold, filtered water will completely change the energy on the students, keeping them focused in class and healthy on the sports field. We are deeply grateful for this support,” Mr Hape said.

The project, worth K30,000.00 held a special, personal meaning for BSP’s Retail Transformation Specialist, Leroy Edmund, a proud alumnus of Tokarara Secondary School who served as the project lead.

“As a former student, I stood in those same lines at the same water taps. I know firsthand how tough it is to stay focused when it’s hot and you can’t get a decent drink of cold water. Being able to come back years later and deliver this for the next generation of Tokarara students is a true honor.”

The official handover ceremony was celebrated on campus this month, attended by school management, teachers, enthusiastic students, and a delegation from BSP led by Group General Manager Retail, Ronesh Dayal.

Speaking at the ceremony, Mr. Dayal emphasised the bank’s joy in supporting the school’s vision for a healthier environment.

“At its heart, this project belongs to the students of Tokarara Secondary School. While our Retail team drove the logistics, our true reward is knowing that 2,000 young minds now have the clean, modern facilities they deserve to thrive. Healthy hydration builds healthy minds, and we are proud to invest in the future leaders sitting here today.”

With the fountains fully operational, Tokarara Secondary School starts its next chapter with refreshed students, safer health standards, and a modern campus environment.

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