Buk bilong Pikinini Celebrates 10-Year Partnership Milestone and Renewal with PNGAir on World Pilot Day

Buk bilong Pikinini (BbP) is proud to announce the renewal of its valued partnership with PNGAir, a Platinum Partner, during a special celebration at the 6 Mile Library Learning Centre (LLC) to mark World Pilot Day.

The event brought together BbP students, teachers, and staff to celebrate both the global observance and a partnership that has made a real difference in supporting literacy across Papua New Guinea. This year also marks an important milestone, ten (10) years of partnership since PNGAir began supporting BbP in 2016.

Over the past decade, PNGAir has provided vital support through the free cargo freighting of BbP’s school library kits, each filled with high-quality books, to community schools around the country. The airline has also supported the delivery of learning resources to BbP’s Library Learning Centres, and assisted with staff travel for quarterly in-classroom training and educational resources and training across PNG, including Lae and Goroka, where BbP centres are located.

BbP is sincerely grateful for this long-standing support and is pleased to share that the partnership has been renewed for a further three (3) years, allowing this important work to continue.

PNG Air Chief Executive Officer, Brian Fraser, said, “Our pilots do more than fly aircraft; they connect people, communities, and opportunities across Papua New Guinea. Through our partnership with Buk bilong Pikinini, we are proud to support initiatives that empower young minds through access to books and learning. This World Pilot Day, we celebrate not only the dedication of our pilots, but also the positive impact aviation has in shaping the future of our country.”

The celebration at the 6 Mile LLC was both fun and educational. Students learned about the role of pilots and the aircraft they operate, before taking part in an interactive role play. With the help of teachers and parents, a cardboard PNGAir plane was built, and students dressed up as pilots, boarding staff, cargo handlers, runway personnel, and passengers to act out a flight from Port Moresby to Mt Hagen. The activity followed their reading of the BbP reader, “When I Grow Up I Want to Be a Pilot,” helping bring their learning to life.

BbP was also pleased to welcome PNGAir Marketing Officer Ms Wendy Igara, who joined in the activities and shared insights into both the partnership and careers in aviation.

Leanne Resson, Executive Officer of Buk bilong Pikinini, said, “Reaching 10 years of delivering books to schools and communities across PNG is something we are incredibly proud of. Access to books plays such an important role in building literacy and a love for learning. We are truly grateful to PNGAir for their continued support over the years. This partnership is helping us reach more children and create brighter futures.”

Buk bilong Pikinini looks forward to continuing its work with PNGAir over the next three years, building on what has already been achieved and reaching even more children through literacy programmes across the country.