PROJECTS
BPEC
The Black Pearl English Course (BPEC) is striving to offer a high level of English language tuition to local Papuan children and adults for free or at a nominal charge.
The courses are currently offered in thirteen locations.
The BPEC does more than just teach English. It has also become a community development program engaging the adults and wider community to become involved as well.
APCEP
The Australian Papuan Cultural Exchange Program (APCEP) aims to immerse Papuan and West Papuan students, aged 18 – 25 years, in the Australian culture and language to give them the best possible opportunity to develop fluency in English whilst learning about Australian culture and our way of life.
Clean Water Program
The clean water and sanitation program developed by Black Pearl Network (BPN) was one of our foundation programs and was directed though a small Papuan group (LEMAK) to provide clean water (wells) and sanitation to needy communities.
Friendship
In 2012 a party of representatives from the Sentani Klassis visited Perth and firm friendships have been formed.
Friendships such as these allow BPN members to negotiate the pitfalls of cultural differences and give us invaluable insight into the local situation in Papua.
Whilst visiting Papua in May 2018, a group of BPN members became aware of a group of 40 students studying for their Masters’ of Business and Management from UOG who were planning a study tour to Australia in July.
After meeting Ross Gobby, one of the inaugural members of the BPN, they decided to switch the venue to Perth and the BPN, under Ross’s indefatigable leadership swung into action to facilitate their visit.
Vocational Training Program
Since late 2021 the BPN has employed a Vocational Training manager to set up a program of vocational training to prepare Papuans for involvement in the developing tourist industry.
With the heavy emphasis on English language teaching, BPN is already preparing Papuans to work with tourists but there is so much more to do. Training in the areas of food preparation, accommodation, tour guiding, record keeping and financial accountability will help Papuans to take their rightful place at the forefront of providing hospitality to tourists in their homeland and to benefit from the development of this industry in a sustainable way.
We look forward to seeing this initiative bear fruit for indigenous Papuans in coming years.
Days for Girls
In 2017 a relationship began between the BPN and the Perth chapter of Days for Girls. Days for Girls is an international organisation providing health education and reusable menstrual hygiene supplies to disadvantaged girls in order to empower them in education, employment and life.
UOG
For the first few years of our work with Papua BPN worked closely with The University of Ottow & Geissler (UOG) formerly STIE (Sekolah Tinggi Ilmu Ekonomi- Ottow-Geissler) to assist their English language department.
Teaching resources such as books, DVDs and laptops were sourced in Australia and provided for the use of students and teachers.