THE Ramhaga Adventist Primary School in Huhu Local Level Government of Alotau District, Milne Bay Province, has received a total of K10, 000 worth of food and toiletry supplies with four fuel drums this week.
This timely assistance was provided by the Member for Samarai-Murua, Hon. Isi Henry Leonard, after requests were made to his office.
Ramhaga Adventist Primary School is a mission school run by the Adventist Church under the Northern and Milne Bay Mission but has faced tough times from food shortages.
Many students from Samarai-Murua district also attend the school, which prompted Mr Leonard to support the school.
In recent years, the school has also been a victim of increasing law and order issues from sea piracy within the province.
Food shortage has been the major issue that constantly faces the school; however, they continue finding help to keep the school running.
Member for Alotau, Hon. Ricky Morris assisted in recent months with food supplies which have since been depleted and the school had to turn to the agriculture industry (as they refer to it), which are their food gardens that they have survived on for several weeks now before the timely assistance by Mr Leonard this week.
Although the school is just an hour across the Milne Bay from Alotau town, it is in a rural setting where the challenges they face are similar to other rural schools within the province.
In his remarks, Mr Leonard emphasized the importance in education for students and how critical it was at this period of the schooling year as students prepare for exams.
He commended the teachers and students for their commitment and perseverance.
“I am greatly honoured to come to this school and participate in assisting with the shortfall that we have in food supplies and fuel.
“I saw the reports and the request coming in and the need to support the school. The end of the year is critical as students must sit for their examinations.
“We are fortunate that our children can attend this school. This provides the basis on which we build our human capital,” Mr Leonard said.
“I thank my brother Member for Alotau, Hon, Ricky Morris, who has supported this school.
“And for me to come here is the most honourable thing, given the fact that it is not within my jurisdiction in terms of electoral boundaries.
“But that’s not the point, the point is that when you’re a leader, there are no boundaries.
“When called upon, anywhere and everywhere you must serve the people. For those that ask, we must give and provide,” he said.
Mr Leonard apologised to the school because he had put in a plan when he rolled out the drought relief supply program for his district earlier this year which also included the school but when the report came through to his office, the school missed out.
So, when the request came through from the school for food supplies, he responded to deliver the food items and the fuel drums personally.
Meanwhile, Mr Leonard made a commitment to continue to support the school into the future and also committed several solar street lights to be placed around the school yard and two chainsaws to help the school mill its own timber to build basic infrastructure like teachers houses and classrooms.
Ramhaga Adventist Primary School Board member and representative from the local Mission Lester Toukmai thanked Mr Leonard and his team for responding to their call for assistance and said the food supplied was enough to take them through to the end of the school year term.
The food items provided include rice bales, sugar bales, flour, tinned food, tea, salt, coffee, milo, noodle cartons, biscuits and toiletries such as bath soap, toilet rolls, detergents, laundry powder among other items.
The school also requested two drums of petrol and zoom but Mr Leonard gave extra two drums making it four drums in total.
Mr Leonard and his team travelled to Ramhaga on Monday evening, spending a few hours with the teachers and students before returning to Alotau.
