Morag and I were invited by the ABC TV program “Can We Help?” to revisit Tari in the Southern Highlands of Papua New Guinea after a 30 year absence. I was a patrol officer there and the opportunity was too good to pass up.

We arrived, be it a bit late, to a fabulous reception but missed out on the singsing that had been prepared for us the day before.

My first email went out on the 14th June and by the 14th October all of the following has been achieved at no cost and I’m sure the ‘value’ of the goods is in excess of $50,000.

A big thank you to the following

Swire Shipping for shipping the container from Brisbane to Lae.

HF Palmer for moving the container from Royal Wolf to the warehouse (AW Lounges) and then to the wharf.

Royal Wolf for providing the container.

Porgera Joint Venture (PJV) for receiving the container and freighting it up the Highlands Highway to Tari in the Southern Higlands Province in PNG.

Philip Willis (below with me) of AW Lounges for watching over the container, assisting in loading it and receiving the donated resources.

Apollo CMS for providing the paint and painting the container white ready for the Queensland College of Arts students.

Somerville House (Books clothes many desks and chairs and video cameras)

St Margaret’s (Books)
ScotsPGC College (Books)
Clayfield College (Books and heaps of clothes)
Prince of Peace Lutheran (Books and clothes)

greenpc for 20 computer systems and printers.

Brisbane School of Distance Education (learning aids – teaching toys etc)
Samford Valley Steiner School (chairs and sewing)

Cooloola Christian College Gympie (Books and clothes)

West Moreton Anglican College (Computers)

New Books from:-
Scholastic
Steve Parish Publishing
Dymocks
Harcourts Educational
Harpercollins

Ipec for transporting books and clothes from Sydney and Warwick

Box Built for providing the wooden boxes in which we were able to put the monitors for the computer systems, clothes and books. Byron thanks for your labour as well as I couldn’t have managed myself.

Brent Wilson and Eric Rossi the two Queensland College of Arts students thanks for your efforts in the 33+ degree heat and combating the graffiti attacks.

Not forgetting the ABC “Can We Help?” program without whom my return to PNG would not have been possible.

Well done to you all.

Moarg and I (above) with our old friend Hogogo and many of the old Councillors from the time we were in PNG.

The container eventually arrived and was stored in a secure site where it was opened and the school resources taken to another store where they were sorted for distribution.

Sorting out who gets what. The number of books sent meant that they had to be sorted into primary and senior readers. The National Geographic mags went down well with everyone.

21 schools benefited from the donations with some receiving more than others but nearly every school received at least one computer and some books.

When the team arrived to distribute resources to the Hoiebia High School they were met by students in traditional dress, some wear this style of clothing on a daily basis.

Once the uniforms were distributed the change was very obvious. So long as they don’t forget their traditions.

Hoiebia High School students in a more relaxed mode.

Hoiebia Primary School students with their new uniforms and boxes of books and their new! computer.

Hoiebia PS students get a close look at some of the books presented to them.

Hoiebia welcome reception committee. Members of the P&F.

Hoiebia School Chairman Simon Kuku. Very proud of his culture. Does your chairman dress as well??

Komo PS students are very happy as they have been forgotten about for many years. Note the newly acquired solar panel for their satellite phone installed only weeks earlier.

Kupari PS Senior teacher Ms Donna Mathew checks out one of the donated computer systems with Headmaster (left) and another senior teacher.

Kupari PS Students with new uniforms. What a smart bunch.

Kupari PS students looking very smart.

Kupari senior students in their lunch area. Does your tuck shop look like this?

Tari Admin PS Chairman graciously receives the school resources on behalf of the entire community.

Tari Admin Head Boy gives a vote of thanks to Morag and I and all those others involved.

Tari Admin new desks and chairs put to good use. I’m sure the name of the college on the blazer didn’t register with the young man but the smile on his face certainly shows he is please with his latest acquisition. 

Tari Admin new uniforms

The Tari Admin Primary School students who missed out on new uniforms. No just joking but as you can see there is much more that can be done.

Below see Thank You letters from Kiak Lepan Head Teacher Hoiebia Primary School and Salmon Paraun Principal St Francis Kuluanda Primary School.

Again thank you to everyone involved and if you are from a school and you believe your students would benefit from a 'pen pal' in PNG please let me know and we'll see what can be arranged.

Please bear in mind the cost of postage from PNG if you do decide to go ahead as we may have to arrange some sort of courier system.

Regards,

John and Morag

07 3392 7997 This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it