For many public and parochial schools in Papua New Guinea, individual chairs and desks for all students in crowded classrooms are an impossible luxury. But thanks to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, shipping containers filled with used school furniture from New Zealand and Australia are being shipped to Papua New Guinea for use in local schools.
The Church provides shipping for the chairs and tables in partnership with Pacific Assist, a not-for-profit charity that serves several South Pacific nations.
In late March, 2025, a Church-sponsored shipping container filled with school furniture arrived in Papua New Guinea and was brought to the Church's Port Moresby Stake Centre.
From there, Church volunteers unpacked the container and transported the chairs and desks to the St. Peter Chanel Basic Education School in Port Moresby.
The St. Peter Chanel School has approximately 3,000 students and 27 teachers, from kindergarten, or preparatory, through to eighth grade. On average, around 100 students fit into each classroom, although, due to lack of classroom space, some classes are held completely outdoors. The school is one of the largest in Papua New Guinea’s capital city.
For many students, the chairs and desks provided by Pacific Assist and shipped by the Church of Jesus Christ are the first they’ve ever used in school.
St. Peter Chanel School Headmistress Martha Kaisapi says the chairs and tables will have a huge impact on her school.
“I’m so grateful,” she said, “to get the donation and for the people who are donating these chairs and tables to us. I am so grateful for your support. It will boost the morale of the teachers and students who learn in the classroom.”
As more used school furniture becomes available, the Church of Jesus Christ will continue to ship the furniture to Pacific area nations and schools. As it happens, more students will discover the simple joy of having a desk and chair at which to work as they progress in their education.
