Buk bilong Pikinini has acknowledged and celebrated the great contribution the late Sir Theo Constantinou made to the organisation and the children of Papua New Guinea.
Buk bilong Pikinini was founded in 2007 with an aim to provide children with access to books and learning within an organised framework. The first Library Learning Centre was opened in 2008 to support hospitalised children at the Port Moresby General Hospital with a play-based special needs learning program to support their recovery.
“This centre has been sponsored by Sir Theo through Airways Hotel and other Library Learning Centres followed, such as at the Six-Mile Police Station and at Rouna Quarry through the Constantinou Group of Companies Monier and Hebou,” said BbP in a statement.
“In addition to this, Sir Theo also provided seed funding for our Library Learning Centre for the hearing-impaired, hosted a fundraiser at Airways Hotel and has provided other general support throughout the years.
“As a result of this most generous assistance to our organisation, hundreds of vulnerable children from disadvantaged backgrounds - have each year had the opportunity to learn to read and write and gain the best possible preparation for school through BbP’s Early Childhood Development Program.
“Parents, teachers, doctors and nurses have thanked our organisation for the support the children have received and which, in many cases, have been life-changing. We owe our respect and gratitude to a great philanthropist and friend Sir Theo Constantinou.
“May he rest in peace.”
(Picture: The Sir Brian Bell Foundation)