A Friend of Tembari Children
THE Tembari children are going places!
I was pleasantly surprised when a newly-launched Filipino magazine in Philadelphia, a big city in the state of Pennsylvania, USA, featured a story on Tembari children.
Launched last week, bi-monthly “Pinoy Magazine Worldwide” covers notable activities of Filipinos overseas. “Pinoy” is the other reference to Filipinos.
PMW’s publisher and editor, Freddy Panes, told me in an email that they came across with my blog site www.tembari.blogspot.com recently and decided to carry a condensed story of Tembari’s plan to put up a school building for its 100 preschool children.
Panes said that although Tembari is a Papua New Guinean community-based organization (CBO), it nevertheless involves a Filipino, “who has become a prime mover in the organization,” which, during the last several months, has become a part of public consciousness -- thanks to the media and donors and supporters.
Always an interesting copy, Tembari is looking after 200 unfortunate, abandoned and orphaned children from the Oro settlement outside of Port Moresby by providing them daily meals and preschool and elementary education, among many others.
Initially, the 16-page, full-color magazine printed about 10,000 copies, which have been circulated in Filipino communities in Philadelphia and Canada.
Its second edition coming towards the end of October will print 18,000 for more readers in California and New York where there are big Filipino communities.
Allotting two pages, the magazine carried pictures of Tembari children in action – while playing, having meals, falling in line to wash hands and others.
What is heartening is that it plugged Tembari Children’s Center (TCC) bank account with Australian bank Westpac Bank based in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea.
This is really great because it would give Filipino-Americans an opportunity to help Tembari through this bank account, which was intended to raise money for its preschool classrooms worth K100,000 (US$43,000).
By the way, Tembari’s Westpac Bank account is Tembari CHILDREN’S CARE CENTER (TCC), Westpac Bank Waigani Branch Port Moresby, Papua, New Guinea Account Number 600191578
“Pinoy Magazine Worldwide” strives to focus on Filipino Diaspora that has become an important part of the Filipino culture.
Truly, it deserves the support of major advertisers in Philadelphia who want to reach bigger number of Filipino-Americans.
And more important, PMW magazine deserves the support of all Fil-Ams, being an important venue for their views concerning Filipinos in their respective communities.
I hope that PMW would, on occasion, feature more activities of the Tembari children to let the world know that in this part of the world, there are children like them who need their help.
As I have said in the past, the future of Tembari children lies in the hands of generous and kind people.
Without them, I and my fellow volunteers won’t be of any help.
The two-page article on Tembari children featured in “Pinoy World Magazine” based in Philadelphia, USA.For comments, email the blogger: ahernandez@thenational.com.pg and aphernandez58@yahoo.com
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