Tembari marks 8th year, pledges to do more for beneficiary children

Tembari children from Central province dancing to the beat of the kundu, a traditional drum.

Penny Sage-embo, Tembari founder and program coordinator (center), speaks to guests during Tembari’s open house to mark the facility’s 8th year anniversary. (More pictures after story.)

By ALFREDO P HERNANDEZ
A Friend of Tembari Children


DAY care facility Tembari Children’s Care (TCC) marked its 8th year on Saturday with a pledge to do more in terms of services for its growing number of less-privileged beneficiary children.

“As we push across our ninth year, we expect to expand in terms of facilities designed to cater to the growing needs of our children,” Penny Sage-embo, TCC founder and program coordinator, told guests during an open house at the day care facility.

Sage-embo noted that right now, the facility is providing services to 175 abandoned, unfortunate and orphaned children who come from the community at ATS Oro settlement at 7 Mile, outside of Port Moresby.

She said the center serves daily meals to the children and provide preschool, elementary and primary education.

“All this becomes possible with support from our partners in the business community, private groups and individuals who found merit in the services we provide to the Tembari kids,” Sage-embo told the audience.

Among the invited guests present were Meghan Sullivan, senior program manager of Digicel Foundation, charity arm of cell phone provider Digicel PNG; David Slape, general manager of Hugo Canning Co, producer of corned beef product Ox & Palm; Maxine Anjiga-Aruwa, a local development executive and recent recipient of Westpac Bank’s award for women entrepreneurs; and Dadi ToKa, Jr, an executive at Toka Real Estate.

Tembari’s preschool and schoolchildren presented cultural dances and songs representing their provinces.

The guests inspected Tembari’s facilities and also met with the beneficiary children.

The four guests promised to help Tembari push through with its expansion projects.

Tembari children from Oro province in their traditional attire for the occasion.

Tembari's preschoolers waiting for their cue to swing it away ... to the beat of the kundu drum.

Penny meeting Meghan Sullivan, senior program manager of Digicel Foundation, while Hayward Sagembo, Tembari president, looks on.

Part of the crowd who came on Saturday for the open house.

Preschoolers sing a traditional song, led by their teacher Janet, who is also the Tembari coordinator.

Preschoolers sing a traditional led by their teacher Joe.

Kids in their traditional attire.

Tembari kids from Central province swing it away to the sound of the kundu, a traditional wood drum.

Volunteer moms with children in a village dance.

Refreshments for invited guests.

Another batch of preschoolers and their teacher sing a traditional song.

Meghan looking at pictures posted on the board. The pictures show past activities at The Center.

Moms cooking the day’s special lunch.

Food to go …

A volunteer scoops rice into the food bowl.

Kids chat inside their classroom

Kids sit on the blue canvass while waiting for lunch.

Kids having soup before the main course – rice and spiced minced beef and masala-ham soup.

Volunteer moms wash utensils after lunch on Saturday. - All pictures by ALFREDO P HERNANDEZ, Port Moresby, PNG March 2011


Email the writer: alfredophernandez@thenational.com.pg
freddiephernandez@yahoo.com
tembarihdz@gmail.com