RD FOUNDATION PNG: A visit in Darimdau Village

Darimdau is a small village in the interior part of Danip community. From RD Tuna Cannery plant site which is in Siar, Danip is 30 minutes away by vehicle. From Danip intersection going up to Darimdau village, it is most likely a 30 minutes walk. It is just difficult to reach the village without your own vehicle as seldom in a day the public mobile vehicle go up to the village. Oftentimes villagers just walk, carrying on their head their bilum which is full of garden food and buai which they sell in the market.

Long before RD Foundation works with the village to support the Kindergarten school, the Evangelical Outreach Ministry (EOM) was already visiting the village regularly, ones in a week, to conduct Bible studies and read Bible stories for the children. They also taught children how to read and write during this visits. EOM was doing the same thing in other villages. When RD Foundation started its operation in PNG, one of the programs is on community education. Upon seeing that there are plenty of children in the villages who has no access on early childhood education, supporting Nursery and Kindergarten schools was then considered, this time making it as a full time program in the villages. When a training for community-based teachers was conducted, Darimdau sent their participants and who are now doing the teaching job in the village. RD Foundation since then assisted the village Kindergarten school by supplying school supplies, training the teachers, supplying food items for children during nutrition days and other supports that help the school to sustain.

RD Foundation staffs visited Good Samaritan Kindergarten School (GSKS) and distributed school supplies to children. Mr. Kernie Fanagel, the Program Manager of RD Foundation PNG called the children one-by-one in front and handed them a set of school materials with workbook, crayon, ruler, writing pad and pencil. Chalk, scissors and other school supplies were turned over to the teachers. Everyone smiles as they came in front. Yanganu Mandarip-a full time community teacher staff of RD Foundation and Joel, an assistant teacher at GSKS assisted Mr. Fanagel.

Other children are waiting for their turn to receive school supplies.

A photo of some of the Children at GSKS in Darimdau Village with their community teacher Dion and his assistant Joel.

Children's meal is prepared regularly every month as a way of encouraging children to continuously coming to school and to serve them with good food. This is also an opportunity for parents to participate in school activities as they are the one cooking.

While waiting for the food, teacher Joel prepares the children for a presentation about nutrition.

Lining up for a good food after a short program about nutrition.

Mr. Fanagel is given a share-a plate of food. In most villages. the way they cook the food is to put everything in one pot and boil it with coconut milk. This is already a heavy meal but some people refers to this plate of food as refreshment. What do you think..will you get additional food after finishing this much? Laik blo yu...