British High Comm to assist Tembari kids

Ms Suzanne Laister, executive assistant to the British High Commissioner to PNG David Dunn is welcomed by the members of the Tembari Children Care (TCC)at The Center led by Penny Sagembo, TCC co-founder. Ms Laister visited the children to find out how the British High Commission could help them out with their everyday needs.

Suzanne listens intently while Penny explains how The Center operates.

Children listen to the news brought to them by Suzanne from High Commissioner David Dunn.

The Tembari children while inside their classroom. -- All pictures courtesy of the British High Commission in PNG


By ALFREDO P HERNANDEZ
A Friend of Tembari Children

SHORTLY after our American visitor Diane McLea left last Thursday, a new group of callers arrived at The Center to meet the children and to find out how their organization would be able to help out with their daily needs.

The team came from the staff of the British High Commission in PNG led by Suzanne Laister, executive assistant to British High Commissioner to PNG David Dunn.

Ms Laister told Penny Sagembo, the co-founder of Tembari Children Care (TCC) and Hayward Sagembo, TCC chairman, that they just held a fund-raising drive by running a mile along the streets of Port Moresby.

“The proceeds of this fund-raising will all go to the beneficiaries of TCC,”
Ms Laister said.

Penny thanked the assistance the British High Comm is offering and furnished them a list of things that The Center needs to be able to function properly and productively and thus, cater for the immediate needs of the 83 orphans, abandoned and neglected children under its care.

Among the biggest concerns right now at The Center is its lack of access to power and regular source of water for drinking and for cooking the meals of the children, Penny said.

The children, Penny told Suzanne, have their lunch at The Center everyday, except Sunday.

The 42 children who are attending 16 elementary schools around Port Moresby come to The Center after their classes for lunch. Likewise, the 41 pre-schoolers holding classes at The Center from 8am-12am also take their lunch prepared by volunteer mothers.

Suzanne, in email sent to me yesterday, said they are now looking at how the High Comm could provide The Center with an overhead water tank.

“I spoke to Penny about their needs and we will be looking to finalize within the next few weeks how to best spend the money raised (from the fun-run).

Apparently, the overhead water tank is just one of the many facilities that the British High Comm is planning to provide The Center.

“I will speak to Penny again this week to discuss future plans,” Suzanne said.

Shortly after the fun-run last Thursday, British High Commissioner to PNG, David Dunn, said: “We are very proud that the whole BHC team, family and friends have been able to gather together to run a mile for Temberi Children’s Care centre.

“We are also very excited to have played our role and put PNG on the map in what is now a global event!

“My thanks also goes to the many individual and corporate sponsors who have partnered the BHC in what we hope will become a regular annual event here in Port Moresby.”

The British High Comm had learned of The Center’s activities through articles posted on www.tembari.blogspot.com.

This website is updated regularly to inform its growing number of supporters on developments taking place at The Center.

The run is one of the largest charity events in the UK and was held in Papua New Guinea for the first time as the UK charity Sport Relief went global.

All the monies raised are donated to nominated local charities.

In PNG this year, the British High Comm has decided to help the Tembari
Children Care (TCC) center to further boost its capacity to provide care to its
young wards.

For comments, please email the writer: alfredophernandez@thenational.com.pg
jarahdz500@online.net.pg
freddiephernandez@yahoo.com