The children at Buk bilong Pikinini’s Library Learning Centre on Tatana Island received a visit from Swiss envoys.
Yasmine Chatila Zwahlen, Swiss Ambassador to Papua New Guinea, Ambassador to Kiribati, Nauru, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu and Special Envoy of Switzerland for the Pacific Region has been on an extended visit to PNG for the past couple of weeks, accompanied by her husband Pedro Zwahlen, who is the Swiss Ambassador to Australia.
“All the children enrolled at Buk bilong Pikinini’s LLC on Tatana were excited to shake hands with the Ambassador and thank her for the amazing support we have received over the years,” Buk bilong Pikinini founder, Anne-Sophie Hermann.
“The Swiss Embassy in Canberra sponsored the library building on Tatana, has supported program development and 15 School Library Re-establishment Kits. The kits are currently being distributed to schools across the highlands, which do not have books to support their children’s education.”
H.E. Yasmine Zwahlen congratulated the children on their excellent reading and phonics skills and said: “While the Swiss Embassy has sponsored the building, it is really thanks to the great teachers, support from parents and community that the children are doing so well.”
She also acknowledged CPL’s sponsorship, which has covered the operational costs and teachers’ salaries since 2014.
“The children where dressed in traditional attire and performed a lovely singsing for the invited guests and community,” stated Hermann.
“Buk bilong Pikinini’s Deputy Executive Officer Leanne Resson thanked the Ambassador for the Swiss Embassy’s support to improve education outcomes for children across PNG.
“The children are now on a well-deserved term break.”