Feature Photo: Head Teacher Margaret with Fr Xavier
AMS’s Projects and partnerships coordinator Ashley Bulgarelli is on the road and checks in with us this time in Kanosia, PNG.
The trip to Kanosia from Port Moresby is only 86 kilometres, yet it took two hours of jolting travel along a supposed highway that was hard to locate most of the time. We gratefully arrived at the Marist Fathers Parish of Kanosia and the associated school, De Boismenu Primary School, which was the focus project for the 2017 Marist Mission Centre ‘Cycling for Children’ campaign.
Fr Xavier proudly showed myself, Br Rodney and Br Finan around the school. We saw the massive generator that was purchased that now provides the school, the 11 teachers houses and the community medical clinic with power – the first time in ten years the school has had electricity. Several new water tanks now provide the 481 students with year-round water for drinking and for the ablution blocks. As well as this the classrooms have had a much-needed overhaul which has included new blackboards and lining the inside of the classrooms with walls. The tin buildings are stifling hot in the topical heat and the plasterboard walls greatly cool the rooms and with a fresh lick of paint, make the classrooms a much more attractive and conducive environment for learning.
Most of the students come from very poor families that work in the rubber plantations. With the newly implemented free education system, student numbers have rapidly increased in the past 5 years which has placed a greater strain on the school infrastructure. Fr Xavier told me this project has lifted the spirits of the students and teachers and that he is very grateful to all those that supported the Cycling for Children campaign.
These children also face many challenges outside of school. In fact, on the day of my visit, less than half of the students were present due a tree falling on the road blocking road travel for the school vehicle. Only those children within walking distance of the school could attend.
Despite the many challenges the students face in their day-to-day lives they remain positive and full of life. The grade 6 student leader, with an arm covered in tribal tattoos, opened the short end-of-day ceremony where we all witnessed the joy of a 5-year old student trying to perform the ceremonial dance but constantly being one second behind everyone else. He didn’t ever give up or give in, something which I think is a common trait amongst these children.