Filipino business people donate to Tembari

Lyn Cheah (second from left), her kids Adam Chin Cheah and Angielyn Kie-yan Cheah pose next to the cartons of instant noodles they donated on Saturday. With them is Lyn’s close friend Tanya Mossman, a former counselor at the National AIDS Council.

This kid beams to the camera while trying to size-fit a pair of blue jeans as Penny Sage-embo looks on.

By ALFREDO P HERNANDEZ

A Friend of Tembari Children

THERE was great frenzy at Tembari Centre on Saturday morning among the children.

Lyn Cheah, a Filipino businesswoman in Port Moresby, paid a visit to the center with her two young kids, along with a close friend – Tanya Mossman, a former counselor at the National AIDS Center in Port Moresby.

Her children – Adam Chin Cheah and Angielyn Kie-yan Cheah – brought the Tembari kids lollipops and candies.

And Lyn, for her part, brought in a large carton containing close to 100 pieces of brand-new blue jeans for girls and boys – a personal gift from her and from a group of Port Moresby-based Filipino business associates that included Jun Dutallas, Ramon Nechaldas, Jose Martinez, Timothy Funcardas, Joseph Funcardas, Natoy Gonzales, Winnie de la Torre and Louie de La Torre.

Learning from Lyn that she had plans to donate some garment items to Tembari children, the group did not hesitate to chip in – Lyn and her group came up with a big box of brand new clothing items.

Likewise, Lyn brought another bundle of kiddie rugby uniforms – a pair of short and shirt – that were distributed to several young Tembari kids whose ages range from 5 to 7.

She said the goodies were part of the items that she and her associates supply to Port Moresby retail outlets.

Since they made good business recently, they decided to donate the excess garment inventories to Tembari children.

Lyn and her two kids are no longer strangers to people in need. On occasions, they would visit the children’s and maternity wards of POM General Hospital to deliver goodies to the new mothers and ill children – to cheer them up.

While sorting out the clothing items on Saturday, Penny Sage-embo, Tembari’s founder and program coordinator, came to decide that the blue jeans and several pieces of men’s shirts and girl’s blouses would be given away to Tembari kids who attend the United Church service every Sunday.

“At least, they would have something to wear for the church service,” Penny told me.

Incidentally, a number of Tembari children are members of the church choir, who have been giving impressive performance every Sunday.

Of course, not only garment items did Lyn and children did bring to the center.

The Cheahs also delivered eight cartons of instant noodles which would form part of the daily lunch snacks of our pre-schoolers, whose number has grown to 92 alongside the 79 older children-scholars in four elementary schools around Port Moresby.

The facility is also looking after another batch of younger kids ages 1 to 4 who don’t attend the pre-school program yet.

All in all, Tembari is looking after 215 children who are provided meals twice a day – snack lunch and early dinner.

Thanks a lot Lyn and kids Adam and Angielyn and to Lyn’s generous Filipino business associates.

Mabuhay po kayo!

Adam Chin Chea and sister Angielyn Kie-yan pose with Tembari children.

For feedback, please email me at: ahernandez@thenational.com.pg aphernandez58@yahoo.com