Street kids under the Life PNG Care (LPNGC) organisation in Port Moresby can now have an education following a donation of K5,000 from the Mineral Resource Development Company.
LPNGC helps to keep disadvantaged and vulnerable children away from the streets and in school.
The donation will go towards LPNGC’s ‘Strongim Pikinini Education Program (SPEP) to keep up to 75 street kids enrolled in schools in the National Capital District.
The kids from as young as 6 to 19 years old and come from different backgrounds and include orphans and neglected or abandon children.Twenty of the 75 kids were females.
The kids are enrolled in four secondary and 10 primary schools.
LPNGC director Collin Pake confirmed that 102 children have been registered under SPEP but they’re able to support only 75 due to shortage of funds.
Pake thanked MRDC for its assistance to help educate the future human resource of PNG.
“We are fortunate about seeing the future of unfortunate kids strengthen in mind, body and spirit,” said Pake.
MRDC representative Iona Reto stressed that MRDC seeks to improve the quality of life for all.
She added that by investing in grass roots based organisations like LPNGC and the work it does, the company continues to fulfil its vision of a better future for PNG.
SPEP has supported 52 unfortunate kids last year at a cost of K56,000 which covers project fees, uniforms, stationary, bus fare and lunch.
Pake said the number of children has increased to 75 this year and the organisation now needs to raise K84,000 to keep all the children in school.
So far only three companies have assisted and they’re MRDC, Motor Vehicle Insurance Limited and National Airports Corporation.