Buk bilong Pikinini (BbP) has acknowledged the wonderful effort made by its students, including three individuals who developed medical conditions as babies. Matthew, Anna and Pouem graduated from BbP’s Library Learning Centre at Koki Market.
When they were just mere babies when Anna and Pouem contracted Tuberculosis. Anna contracted TB in her brain which left her paralysed down her left side. Pouem contracted TB in the spine, which caused a severe distortion to his body. Young Matthew was born with a cleft palette. At the age of two, he contracted meningitis.
Pouem and Matthew both attended BbP’s special needs program when they were hospitalised at the Port Moresby General Hospital and had sincere wishes to continue in BbP’s program once discharged.
BbP says no obstacle is too great when you have the drive that these three young individuals have as they made great achievements in their fine and gross motor skills, speaking, reading and writing. They also enjoyed socialising and making friends at the library and had great support from their teachers.
BbP’s programs are inclusive and welcome 5-year-old children of all abilities to enroll in their 2023 program. Children of other age-groups are invited to attend BbP’s After-School Literacy program in the afternoons.
BbP is grateful to the Sir Theo Foundation for their continued support for BbP’s special needs LLC at the hospital and also to the Sir Brian Bell Foundation for sponsoring their inclusive education program.
BbP believes all children deserve the right to an education, including children with special needs. Education is the basic building block of every society and is the single best investment countries can make to build prosperous, healthy and equitable societies.