August 15, 2024 – Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea

Papua LNG has concentrated this year on enhancing health and education services within the Project Area of Influence through its Community Support and Development Program. 

After the launch of health and education facilities in Wabo and Poroi 2 earlier in April and May, Project representatives and guests came together with locals in the villages of Apiope and Evara on August 13 and 14 to inaugurate additional community infrastructure developments.

TotalEnergies collaborated with Digicel Foundation to support the building of a double classroom in Apiope, a coastal village. This third contribution follows two previous collaborations at Arehava-Harevavo Primary School and Orokolo Primary School in 2019. The new building will improve the learning environment in Apiope for the one-hundred and sixty-two students that currently attend grades three, five, seven and eight at this school.

Additionally, the Project equipped the community with two 3000-liter tanks and furnished the school with a 9500-liter tank. Papua LNG also supplied educational aids, solar-powered lights, various stationery items, seating facilities, as well as an office for the four educators presently employed at the institution.

“At TotalEnergies, one of our key values is standing together, because we know that alone we cannot do anything,” said Managing Director for TotalEnergies, Arnaud Berthet.

“We are your neighbours and it is thanks to you, the people of Apiope that we can operate and build this Project. This is important for us to know that the future of these communities will be ensured by such a classroom to deliver education to the children of Apiope,” he added.

Having observed the Evara school’s closure for five years because of the absence of educators, the Project has also joined forces with the Gulf Provincial Education Division, National Volunteer Service, the local School Board, and Community to ensure a volunteer teacher was appointed in 2023, aiming to reestablish education at the Primary School.

The newly opened double classroom and teacher’s house will greatly improve the morale of Rodney Taria, the volunteer teacher, along with the community. Presently, the school serves students across grades three to five. The community has also benefited from additional support like water tanks and educational supplies for students and teachers.

“I hope that this classroom will be put to good use and fruitful for the 117 students of Evara Primary School, grades three, four and five, and the surrounding communities. I’d like to appreciate the effort TotalEneriges has put into making this possible,” said Rodney Taria.

Speaking on behalf of the students, grade five Head Girl for Evara Primary School Rebecca David, sincerely thanked TotalEnergies and Project partners for providing their teacher a new home and a spacious new classroom for them to learn in.

The facility will also be used by the NVS Adult Literacy and Numeracy trainers to conduct various training for adult participants along the Purari River communities.

Present to witness both events were representatives from the Gulf Provincial Government Education Division, NVS, Baimuru and Kikori Development Authorities, the Catholic Education Agency Secretary, and the Papua LNG project.