Robert@PNG

Education fees for a PNG child for one whole year!

When Mum visited us last year she made a decision to sponsor the school fees for one of the local girls. Many a PNG child will miss out on education during 2008 due to parents just not having the bucks or
because the money ends up being wasted on “other” things (eg: booze, “giaman” compensation pay-outs, gambling etc…).

When Mum stayed with us in the village she ended up taking a liking to young Esther - one of Eli's cousins. Esther turned out to be a great
support to us during our stay and helped with the cooking and washing up etc…

A photo of young Esther out the front of her classroom taken last weekend in the village…

Esther started her grade 7 this year and her school is within walking
distance from her home at “Diganil”. Her school fees for 2008 come to a grand total of K100 (approx AU$35). Mum left some additional money with us which will be enough to cover all Esther's extra needs - pencils, exercise books and pens etc…

I know that Esther's parents - Joel and Rose - really appreciate Mum's kind gesture - it will certainly lighten their financial burden for the next 12 months. Esther gives me a letter to pass on to Mum every month and I know she is particularly rapped because having her school fees covered means she spends another 12 months in school thus improving her long term chances of an education - something that unfortunately so many young PNG kids miss out on.

There's a small village just outside Goroka called Mondo - about 20
minutes drive direction Highland's. And in Mondo there is a primary
school that has had the education fees for all kids at the school
covered by one of the Rotary Club's Downunder (The Salamander Bay club near Nelson's Bay - I think).

In the end we all do our bit and hope that we make a difference.

Mum… you surely have - in the life of one young PNG village girl!

Thanks a million!!

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