50% of the population of Papua New Guinea is illiterate. There are not enough schools in proportion to the number of children, just as there is not enough work for the young people who succeed in completing their studies. Sr. Marie Benedicta Sim, SND, has been working for the past three years with HIV victims in the country, combining this with teaching the creole language and the Bible to both adults and children.
In her testimony, we read: “It is very hard to help the illiterate realize their dream in a world dominated by technology. Often young people wander here and there because they have nothing to do. Learning about the Bible gives them the chance to get to know the Word of God and to make constructive use of their time and abilities.”