The children of Gabagaba village in Central Province can now sit in comfort to learn in their newly refurbished classrooms.
Thanks to BSP, as part of its 2022 Community Project Initiative, the BSP Marketing team refurbished three classrooms and handed them back to the school on Thursday, 4th August, along with the donation of a 2000L water tank, 40 double seater desks and BSP Sports merchandise items for the students.
It was an honour and surprise to the Gabagaba Primary School Community to witness the Group CEO of BSP, Robin Fleming, to officiate the handover of the keys of the classrooms to the school management.
When handing over the building, Mr Fleming told the school community that this is a marketing project and marketing department often go all over PNG to monitor the community projects.
He said they have done 50 community projects in the country and around the Pacific where BSP is providing banking services.
Mr Fleming said it was a decision made a couple of years back that instead of managing and managing the projects only, it would be good for marketing and executive management could assist with the projects themselves.
“So one of the responsibility of a leader is when you say the executive can do it, that means all our staff and marketing do it and I get up and have the opportunity to say, ‘congratulations to everyone who has contributed,” he said.
On that note, Mr Fleming thanked the marketing team as the contractor, who now delivered a great project in the form of three classrooms being refurbished.
BSP does try to do what it can to assist the community. In referring to a similar event in Tubusereia village recently, Mr Fleming mentioned the culture of praying for the events that happened at Tubusereia just like it happened at Gabagaba.
He said this reminded him of the scripture in Psalms which he heard on Sunday at the Catholic Church, which reads, ‘When you hear the voice, harden not your heart’.
“I think that’s really important for businesses as well. Yes we’re there to make money, yes we’re there to undertake a commercial activity, but we also have to listen to the voice of God and listen to the communities whom we serve,” Mr Fleming said.
He said it is particularly heartwarming because they are helping some students, who are less advantaged because of some disabilities, which makes them less fortunate than others.
The three classrooms include one for children with special needs who will now have a place to sit permanently in the classroom receiving the same education as other able children.