Three former Sogeri National High Students were presented K4,000 each by the Japan Papua New Guinea Association.
Morris Joseph, from University of Papua New Guinea, Kayan Pokanau, from Lae’s University of Technology and Niapun Dua, from Madang’s Divine Word University.
The scholarship involves K2,000 a year for a period of four years, of which the K4,000 presented was from 2019 and 2020.
The JPNGA Director, Akinori Ito, expressed that the scholarship is to help in tuition fee for students who have a strong will to study but come from a disadvantaged background.
He said they had reached out to three separate schools that they had been working with and use complete transparency and objectivity in their decision making towards the recipients.
“This (funding for the scholarship) is from members’ of the association’s own pockets”, he said.
The Japan Papua New Guinea Association is a non-profit organization based in Tokyo, Japan, and aims to promote Japan and PNG relationship.The students, who will all be in their 2nd year in university, expressed their gratitude to the association and all involved.
One of the student recipients, Morris Joseph, who is studying Humanities at the University of PNG, said he had been very nervous during the time of interview for the scholarship but thanked God all worked out for him and he is privileged to receive such support, especially during a time when school fee is an issue.
Present to witness the event, Japan’s Ambassador to PNG, his excellency, Mr. Kuniuki Nakahara, former PNG Ambassador to Japan, Michael Maue along with friends and families of the recipients.
Although the government of Japan provides scholarship programs for students in Papua New Guinea, the JPNG Association considers it to be “government to government” and this support being ”people to people.
By Natasha Ovoi – Cadet Reporter – EMTV News – Port Moresby
