Students in PNG can read to their heart's content
NEARLY two tonnes of books have become Somerset council's gift to students in north-eastern Papua New Guinea.
The donation to the Ramu Community Resource Centre Association (RCRCA) in Alotau, north of Port Moresby, arrived to a delighted town populace.
RCRCA deputy chair Sharon van Boven said she was delighted with the amount and quality of the books that arrived.
Mrs van Boven, who actively works to improve children's literacy in PNG, is now involved with the construction of a new library and resource centre being built in Alotau where the donated books will be housed.
"I can't believe how many there are; as well, the pristine condition they are in," she said.
Somerset regional librarian Caroline Smith said the donation was made possible through withdrawn book stock which had been accumulating over the past few years.
"These books were no longer being used in Somerset Libraries so we thought we would send them to a community who can greatly benefit from the donation," she said.
"It was a joint effort by many council staff and the community to pack and stack all the books and I'm very appreciative of everyone's help."
