Buk bilong Pikinini Launches Literacy Week 2025 with Nutrition and Healthy Living Focus
Buk bilong Pikinini (BbP) has officially launched its annual Literacy Week celebrations, running from September 01–05, 2025, with a strong focus on nutritional literacy, financial literacy and cultural literacy. Buk bilong Pikinini’s Literacy Week has been generously supported by Exxon Mobil PNG. Literacy Week is celebrated globally on September 8 to highlight the importance of literacy as a human right and foundation for lifelong learning.
To kick off the week, children across all BbP’s Library Learning Centres in Port Moresby, Lae, Goroka and Manus today participated in fun and interactive activities based on BbP’s Nutrition Education Program (NEP). At BbPs’ UPNG library learning centre in Port Moresby that hosted the featured opening event, the day’s program included:
Nutrition Awareness Talk – Delivered by BbP’s nutrition education team, highlighting different essential food groups and the importance of healthy eating for learning and concentration.
Storytime – BbP Programs Officer, Hebou Gagoa, read Tru and Kai, a story that reinforces the importance of nutrition.
Guess the Food Game – Children identified play foods as “Everyday” or “Sometimes” foods, learning how balanced diets help them stay healthy. “Everyday foods” are healthy foods needed daily for nutritional needs of growing children and “Sometimes foods” are sugary and sweet foods that can be consumed only on occasion as they do not necessarily have the nutrients needed for the body.
Obstacle Course – A fun, physical challenge with different stations designed to highlight the importance of exercise in maintaining good childhood health.
BbP acknowledged its long-term partner ExxonMobil PNG for once again supporting Literacy Week this year, ensuring that children are not only learning how to read and but also how to live healthy, balanced lives. Literacy Week is not only about celebrating the joy of reading, but also about giving children the knowledge and life skills they need to thrive. By linking literacy to nutrition, we are helping children understand how healthy bodies support healthy minds.
The rest of the week will feature a series of themed activities across all BbP centres:
Tuesday, September 02 – Financial Literacy sessions at Tatana library learning centre with support from CPL Foundation.
Wednesday, September 03 – Parents’ Nutrition Awareness Session and launch of BbP’s new Parents’ Awareness Guide, supported by Moore Printing, Sanitarium, Ilimo, 9 Mile Farm, Zenag, Waterfront Foodworld, Trukai, Lae Biscuit Company and other partners.
Thursday, September 04 – Market Day, where children will engage in pretend buying and selling at mini market stalls, learning both financial and nutritional literacy. Products are kindly donated by Sanitarium, SVS, Trukai, Zenag, Ilimo, 9 Mile Farm, Waterfront, and ExxonMobil PNG.
Friday, September 05 – Independence Celebration, where children will take part in traditional singsings and wear bilas, proudly leading into PNG’s 50th Independence Anniversary week.
Buk bilong Pikinini thanks Black Swan International for vehicle support as well as all its Literacy Week partners and donors for their commitment to creating a brighter future for Papua New Guinea’s children through literacy, education and life skills.
