Chinese from PNG Methodist Church cheer Tembari children

Andrew Tiong speaks to the Tembari children, saying they brought them “Christian love’.

The members of the Chinese congregation sing Christian songs. – More pictures by AP HERNANDEZ after story.



By ALFREDO P HERNANDEZ
A Friend of Tembari Children

ON SATURDAY, the Chinese members of the Methodist congregation in Port Moresby visited the Tembari children and offered the day a religious touch.

“We would like to connect with Tembari children and show them ‘Christian love’,” said Andrew Tiong, one of the elders at the congregation.

He said he and about 20 of his brothers and sisters came to Tembari to connect with the children and be a part of their lives.

Simply said, they wanted to support Tembari’s effort in bringing a change in the lives of its wards that are abandoned, orphans and neglected – children whose future rests in the hands of our generous supporters and benefactors.

Seizing the opportunity of being with the children, the group performed some Christian songs to remind those who were present that the Tembari children were loved and that their love for them sprang from the Holy Bible.

Ever grateful as he was, Hayward Sagembo, Tembari Children’s Care president, thanked the delegation, saying that Tembari’s nutrition and education program would succeed because of the continuing support from our benefactors like them.

Sometime ago, a religious group visited Tembari, headed by the Chinese Methodist bishop whose name I could no longer recall, for a look-see of the center and its 200 beneficiary children.

In this group was Pastor King Ming Wu, who said they wanted to find out what they can do for the kids.

Indeed, she was one of the visitors on Saturday.

Happy about her return to Tembari to see the children one more time, Pastor Wu said they felt they could do something for the kids and that they would like to do it.

To our children’s unsophisticated mind, “Christian love” simply meant nice snacks of cup cakes and sweet scones, toys, foodstuff and clothing – a donation that fetched at least K3,000 (US$1,280).

Immediately after the brief ceremony to present the donation, the congregation members treated the kids with colorful snacks – a rarity in their lives.

You can just imagine the frenzy as they queued for the sweet goodies, to the delight of the Chinese delegation, and more so the volunteer mothers.

I had noticed that it was on Saturday that the last few 1kg packets of rice at Tembari’s store were finally cooked for the day’s meal of the children.

This meant that this Monday, there won’t be anything to cook unless Tembari spends from its daily petty cash to buy the grain, which it seldom did.

But as it has been said time and again, “God will provide” – a strong faith that has never failed.

Because among the donations were 200kg of rice good for 13 cooking days.

Well, with about 200 children to feed, we consume at the rate of 15kg of rice a day – from Monday to Saturday for a total of six days.

The Chinese donation would tide us over till the next rice delivery from a regular donor connects.

It was Ivan Lu, a Malaysian expatriate who is the senior executive director at RH (PNG), who brought the Chinese leadership of the Methodist Church to Tembari.

I remembered Ivan, who is a regular donor, calling me on my cell phone, requesting that I arrange for the Chinese Methodist bishop whose name I could now recall for an audience with the Tembari Children.

To me, it was an auspicious day.

Whenever some group expressed interest in seeing the Tembari children, it would – as always – start a long relationship between the two.

This has always been our experience.

The coming of the Chinese congregation into the world of our children is just one sign that we, at Tembari, are on the right track in our quest to provide them the services that would help shape their future for the better.

Thanks to our benefactors, because their support has made things working for our children.

And to our Chinese visitors, a BIG THANK YOU!

Our kids may belong to the United Church, but Christian love as professed by our Chinese friends from the Methodist Church has transcended beyond religious dogma.

Their quest to reach out to its needy brethren – the Tembari children for that matter -- springs from Bible teachings.

The group poses with some of the Tembari children in front of donated foodstuff and clothing.

A girl (center) reacts happily after receiving a rare treat -- a snack of cup cake, sweetened scone and a bottle of chilled water

Tembari kids showing off their snack foods.

Hayward Sagembo, Tembari president (right), gestures while presenting the program for the children to the members of the Chinese delegation.

Nathan Ho, RH (PNG) Group director (left) discusses something with Andrew Tiong, RGH (Group) PNG general manager for operations, about Tembari assistance, while a congregation member reacts.

Hayward Sagembo (left) gestures as he explained Tembar’s school building project while Chew Pang Heng (center) executive director of resource developer Vanimo Jaya Ltd, looks on.

Pastor King Ming Wu (left) watches while the children line up for some candy treats.

Two Chinese kids (right) help their mom out distribute candies.

A long line of kids await their turn to the candy.

Volunteer mom prepares some veggies for the day’s meal. Seen in the background are boxes of noodles donated by the Chinese visitors.

Two moms carrying a pot of newly-cooked rice.

Tembari boys pose while their buddy (center) plays the guitar.

Children play in the classroom while waiting for lunch to be served. – All pictures by AP HERNANDEZ, Port Moresby, PNG (October 8, 2011)


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Tembari staff and volunteers train in HIV/AIDS counseling

The team from Tembari that underwent capacity-building training on HIV/AIDS counseling. Two of the members are not in the picture.

The cake to mark the graduation of Tembari’s volunteer and staff from the counseling course. – Pictures by PENNY SAGE-EMBO


By ALFREDO P HERNANDEZ
A Friend of Tembari Children

AS A community-based organization (CBO), the Tembari Children’s Care (TCC) actively involves itself in a range of community issues, with looking after the village’s unfortunate children being its primary concern.

And among such issues that plague the ATS Oro Community is the growing concern over HIV/AIDS virus.

There have already been a number of people from the community who died from the virus, and whose orphaned children (a few of them) are now among those under the care of Tembari.

While this deadly virus continues to kill many in Papua New Guinea, many people in the village remained ignorant of what HIV/AIDS issues are all about, or they just couldn’t care less.

Thus, they continued to have unprotected sex just to discover the dreaded truth that they are now living with the virus.

It goes without saying that they are also unaware of the need for voluntary HIV/AIDS testing to find out their health status in relation to the virus.

Still many in PNG who are themselves suspected carriers stayed away from the HIV/AIDS testing process, thus becoming a ticking time bomb.

It is a challenging task to tell the people about HIV/AIDS, much less encouraging them to submit for voluntary testing, says Patison Kopada, Tembari’s administrative officer.

This is despite the fact that there are a number of functioning VCT clinics in Port Moresby – 16 in all, both operated by NGOs and the government --- and in the provinces to look after those potential carriers.

“We were handicapped with the knowledge of how do deal with it,” Kopada said, referring to the villagers continued defiance to practice safe-sex.

But with the initial training that he and 14 other Tembari volunteer parents and staff received during a five-day training, Kopada said they were optimistic they could make a change in people’s attitude towards unprotected sex.

For five days last week, the 15 Tembari workers trained in “capacity building” on HIV/AIDS counseling conducted by AngliCare Stop AIDS, Care and Counseling.

The training components included basic counseling, home-based care, voluntary counseling and testing (VCT).

The Tembari trainees, who received certificates of recognition, will continue to receive refresher lectures from Penny Sage-embo, Tembari founder and project and program coordinator to enhance their knowledge on their new job.

Herself a certified HIV/AIDS counselor with an NGO based in Port Moresby, Sage-embo is more than capable of imparting more knowledge on the subject.

Sage-embo said that Tembari will soon launch the first salvo, so to speak, to attack the HIV/AIDS problem in the community.

“We will organize a small discussion group composed of parents and youths to know from them what they think of the disease.

“From there, we could begin attacking the problem,” Sage-embo said, aware of the fact that it could be an uphill battle for them.

But she said she would point them (the village parents) to some cases involving Tembari children who were orphaned after their parents, or one of their parents, had died of the virus.

Awareness, Sage-embo said, is the only shield that we could provide to the community to protect them from HIV/AIDS.

She is optimistic that there could be a change of attitude among the people.

“They should (change their attitude), otherwise it is them and their families who will suffer later,” Sage-embo stressed.

Indeed, Tembari doesn’t want to see more children from families devastated by HIV/AIDS.

Its trained volunteers and staff, and the cooperation from the community, may be able to lessen the damage, if not totally stop it.

But as in war, there would always be casualties.

The ill-prepared and the stubborn would always be the first to go down, and this is one scenario that keeps popping up every time.

For comments, email the blogger: ahernandez@thenational.com.pg and aphernandez58@yahoo.com

K12,000-land survey (would-be) rip-off

This is the compound that has been occupied by the Tembari Children's Care day care facility since 2003. Tembari is in the process of getting a land title to this property, which measures more or less 3,000sqm, so it could build a semi-permanent school building for its 100 preschoolers. - Picture by AP HERNANDEZ, Port Moresby, October 1, 2011


By ALFREDO P HERNANDEZ
A Friend of Tembari Children

JUST RECENTLY, we engaged a Papua New Guinean land surveyor to prepare a map covering the piece of property occupied by Tembari Children’s Care day care center facility at ATS Oro settlement.

He came to the center where we – I and a volunteer British expat executive -- discussed with him what we need: a land map showing the exact boundaries that enclosed more or less 3,000sqm of state land for which Tembari is applying a land title with the Lands Department.

Several days later, the fellow informed my colleague - the British guy – through email that for us to get an official land map, we have to come across with a K12,000 fee.

He said: The job would be quite messy as there is a land dispute over that property arising from some settlers’ claim of ownership.

The land surveyor had suggested that once we had decided to begin the actual land survey – which could take at least four to seven days -- we should get the police to maintain law and order at the site.

We immediately doubted his story.

As an entity, Tembari has been occupying the property in question since 2003, and the founder, Penny Sage-embo, who has maintained her home on the same piece of land for about 20 years now, has never heard of any claims over the property from the people in her area.

Meantime, in 2009, the Oro Community Association gave Tembari a clearance to develop the area as a day care facility.

Besides, after registering Tembari as a community based organization (CBO) with the Investment Promotion Authority (IPA), Penny has obtained a 99-year sub-lease over this land from the association, which has in itself a 99-year lease with the Lands Department over the entire Oro settlement.

A while after our British expat volunteer was informed of the K12,000 land surveying fee, he visited the Lands Department to follow up some documents related to Tembari’s land title application.

He did this while mulling over where to get the money to pay the surveyor.

At the Lands Department, a high-ranking officer, who my buddy has been in contact with, told him about a Papua New Guinean guy asking around his office regarding Tembari’s lot.

My buddy asked for his name.

He’s the guy whom we engaged to produce us the land title.

The Lands Department executive recalled: “The fellow has been asking around how much to charge Tembari for the land surveying job … and after talking to some technical staff involved in land titling process, he came up with K12,000,” he said.

Apparently, they are going to split the money among themselves, the Lands Department officer alleged, quoting what he learned from people who tipped him off about the would-be rip-off.

It dawned on us that this bastard has concocted a funny story about a land dispute in order to rob us of K12,000 in surveyor’s fee – money of which we have no way of producing right away.

Immediately, my colleague emailed him to say that Tembari right now is not in a position to meet his K12,000 service fee.

So, at the moment, we are scouting for another land surveying company.

Our need for a proper land title to the said property is really urgent.

The Australian High Commission in Port Moresby, one of our major donors, won’t start with our preschool building project without a proper title to the land.

Obviously, the High Com would like assurance that the school building it is going to put up is secured on the land where it will rise.

And this could only be possible if the property is titled properly.

The preschool building would cost about K100,000, whose funding would be made available on a turn-key basis.

Here, the building materials supplier – the Hardware Haus – would release the knock-down components as it received the cheque from the High Com.

Clearly, the land surveying hitch is going to upset our construction timetable, which is set before the year’s end, assuming the land title is released without delay.

We are hopeful that we could find very soon a refutable land surveyor who would charge us a reasonable fee for a trustworthy job.

Anyway, the job he is going to do is for the benefit of a charity group like Tembari, which, right now, is looking after some 200 abandoned, unfortunate and orphaned children from the settlement.

So, dear readers, if you think you know of a group that is willing to do the job for less than what that highwayman is trying to rob from Tembari, please don’t hesitate to let us know.
We badly need their services.

For feedback, please email the blogger: ahernandez@thenational.com.pg and aphernandez58@yahoo.com

Australian High Commission donates freezers and refrigerators

Ice candy soon … You must be wondering what the Tembari kids are holding up in this picture. Well, they are proudly showing off the protective styrofoam padding of a two-door China-made refrigerator which the Australian High Commission donated on Saturday to the Tembari Children’s Care (TCC), after which it was plugged on -- to everybody’s delight. Actually, the High Com has donated four white goods – two refrigerators and two medium-size freezers costing about K5,000 – all purchased from BMBM Home Centre. Since Tembari has no space at the moment to accommodate them all, only the fridge was delivered on Saturday, according to Linda Ren, Home Center’s manageress. One preschooler said he wanted to have “ice candy” soon. – Photo by ALFREDO P HERNANDEZ, Port Moresby, PNG, October 1, 2011


The new fridge plugged on inside the Tembari office.

By ALFREDO P HERNANDEZ
A Friend of Tembari Children


IF THE PRESENCE of a refrigerator indicates a boost in the lives of the family members, could the same be said of the Tembari “household”?

You see, the Tembari Children’s Care received on Saturday a refrigerator for its day care center – a generous donation from the Australian High Commission in Port Moresby.

Actually, the High Com has donated two refrigerators and two freezers.

However, only one of the four items – a fridge – was delivered on Saturday as the center doesn’t have enough space at the moment to accommodate them all.

The coming of the fridge is most welcome.

Across the globe, whether it is in the city or in rural town, the coming of a refrigerator at home –brand-new or not – represents something that usually speaks of relative improvement over the previous state of affairs.

In most cases, it is an improvement as it is property that could only be acquired with so much amount of money.

An acquisition such as this becomes a status symbol, thus giving the new owner something to be proud of before friends and community.

And one thing for sure, Tembari is one proud owner.

As the newly-delivered fridge silently hums at the corner of a makeshift office fashioned from a junk container van, the answer to the question as to whether or not it is an improvement in the lives of the Tembari children is definitely “yes”!

On the whole, it would benefit them because perishable foodstuff such as fresh fish or meat which, from time to time is sent by donors to the center, and fresh veggies could now be conveniently stored in the cold box.

The fillings and spread such as margarine and jam for sandwiches served to our preschoolers at lunch after their morning classes would always taste good.

Until the fridge came, margarine or jams were just kept among other foodstuff that had normally been shoved into the storage shelves, or were just lying idle on the kitchen work tables after being used for the day, to be picked up again the next feeding day.

That’s why in most cases, the sandwich spread like butter, margarine and jam had melted away that they no longer tasted good for the kids.

The children, however, had no choice but to consume the bread; otherwise they would go hungry.

To some of the preschoolers who are familiar with a refrigerator, it is one means to have some of the things they had wanted most in their young life.

One kid was heard as saying that maybe they could now have some “ice candy” from the fridge’s freezer – something which is not really difficult for volunteer mothers to do.

Maybe, ice candy everyday could be an improvement in the kid’s life.

The fridge, a two-door appliance made in China, is the latest important fixture at the Tembari center since it was hooked to the power grid last April.

And of course, it is an added expense in terms of electricity consumption.

With coming of the refrigerator, I don’t know yet how much Esipay -- our prepaid electricity -- we would be buying from now on.

But for now, our power expense for the next few months has already been taken care of by a K900-cash donation from schoolchildren of The Ela Murray International Scchool (TEMIS) in Port Moresby.

The TEMIS children had raised the money to help Tembari pay for its power consumption so the 200 children under its care would continue to enjoy watching DVD children’s programming everyday.

On behalf of the Tembari children, I would like to thank the Australian High Commission in Port Moresby for its generous donation.

The presence of the High Com in the lives of Tembari children is growing by leaps and bounds.

Don’t forget that it is funding the construction of a four-classroom building for about 100 Tembari preschool children.

Aside from this, the HC has a fundraising ball this month to raise some money to support the facility’s twice-a-day feeding program, in which the 200 kids consume an average of 15kg of rice at dinner and lots of tinned fish or meat.

Certainly, the High Commission would like to have a bigger stake in the future of the Tembari children.

Cheers!

For comments, please email the blogger: ahernandez@thenational.com.pg and aphernandez58@yahoo.com

Songs from The Soul Siren, Nina

The Soul Siren, Nina dishing out one of her many soulful songs during a concert in Port Moresby on Saturday, September 23, 2011 for the benefit of the Tembari Children and Friends Foundation.

Nina ... haunting

Nina was a sight to behold!!!


By ALFREDO P HERNANDEZ

FOR trying-hard fotogs like me, The Soul Siren, Nina was extremely a refreshing sight to snap on.

And I didn’t even know any of her songs, a natural disaster that normally descends on people who were reared like a pampered tot on songs of the 60s, 70s and 80s.

What I remember was that I could hear a voice oozing fluidly from the soul of a splendid lady, who was now levitating in the soothing strain of notes just two arms-stretch away from me.

Truly, her music was a healing balm to my strained heart.

Back home in the Philippines, it was said that such a voice could only come from a siren, not the one which Filipino legend had said came from beneath the sea, but from someone only the likes of Nina could own.

So on Friday night, 23rd of September, Nina was up there on the makeshift stage of Dynasty Restaurant singing out her soul and giving us – the audience – the goose bumps.

This angel, who has continuously dominated the metropolis’ weekend concert circuits, was in Port Moresby along with two of her equally able singing-and-dancing-joking colleagues – Rowell Quizon and Chubbylita – for a two-night fundraising concert for the unfortunate children of Tembari Children’s Care (TCC) day care facility and for Friend’s Foundation.

They were imported by the Filipino Association of PNG (FAPNG) under its president Tony Valdez, and their coming, as usual, had been considered a big musical treat for the Filipino community in the capital city.

As in the previous Hatid Saya concerts, the venue was jammed, as usual, with more than 300 Pinoys and expatriates whose tables – most of them – were paid for by corporate sponsors at K3,000 a pop.

Those who came on their own burned a hole in their pockets with a cool but nasty K300 – not for the so-so five-course dinner and a bottle of wine – but for the pleasure of being with this lady, if only for the night.

Very rare had Port Moresby Pinoys been able to witness one live performer as enchanting and sensuous as Nina – a miracle seldom seen on Philippine TV.

That’s why that night, the community of music lovers came in full force, knowing that it would be in these hours when their thirst for Filipino love songs would at last find a quencher in her.

Truly, on Friday night, sultry Nina made love with her songs, and the audience – mesmerized as they were - didn’t mind: they were thrilled; some even wished for her to come again – next year maybe.

And as for me, not knowing a tune from her repertoire, I just clicked on and on and on … and on.

With her, I knew my evening was made.

Please come again, Nina!


For comment, please email the blogger: ahernandez@thenational.com.pg and aphernandez@yahoo.com

Tembari’s volleyball games: They came, they watched and did not create trouble

The National color of PNG (upper right) flutters in the wind while two games – played by men and women’s teams – are in progress on Saturday, the second day of Tembari’s 36th Independence Anniversary Volleyball Tournament at Tembari’s compound at ATS Oro settlement at 7 Mile outside of Port Moresby.

Rex Nichoi, chairman of ATS Oro Community, gestures as he praised his people for displaying exemplary discipline and cooperation during the two day volleyball tournament. (More Pictures after story.)


By ALFREDO P HERNANDEZ
A Friend of Tembari Children


A FIRST in the village, Tembari’s hit volleyball tournament will now become a yearly Independence Week event.

The competition drew 18 men and women’s teams from across the community to vie for the much-coveted Tembari trophies, whose games were watched by hundreds of fans rooting for their respective teams.

There had never been a community-wide sports competition like this at ATS Oro community, a settlement occupied by settlers from Oro and Central provinces at 7 Mile outside of Port Moresby.
And so, when Penny Sagembo, Tembari’s Co-Founder and Co-President, came up with the idea of initiating the games, there was excitement from all quarters of the community of 6,000 people.

Being a CBO (community-based organization duly registered with Investment Promotion Authority), one of Tembari’s community-oriented aspirations is to draw people’s participation.

“Our people are sports-minded, so I have assumed that they will support this first-time ever volleyball event by joining in the competition to celebrate our 36th Independence anniversary,” Penny said, referring to PNG’s Independence Day on Friday, September 16.

“And the highest goal of this event is to instill discipline among the people, by seeing to it that the games are held without untoward incident like fighting and drunkenness,” she continued.

In the past, trouble would surely break out in the middle of a big gathering at the village, Penny noted.

True enough, the eight districts covered by the ATS Oro Community Association fielded 18 teams -- 10 for men and eight for women -- a clear sign that this initiative had gained support from the community.

Tembari fielded its own team of men and women, whose jersey uniforms were sponsored by Malaysian expatriate Chew Pang Heng, executive director of resource developer Vanimo Jaya Ltd.

One individual who was all praises for his people was Rex Nichoi, chairman of the ATS Oro Community Association, because “they have shown remarkable discipline and co-operation”.

“Nobody came drunk … there was no fighting, and every one enjoyed the games,” said Nichoi.

“This is our first experience to see a big event like this where nobody created trouble,” Nichoi said of the people who came to watch the games sponsored by day care centre Tembari Children’s Care (TCC).

Held at the Tembari compound, the two-day competition aimed to forge discipline and co-operation from the local people.

Hayward Sagembo, Tembari president, said one of Tembari’s agenda in the community was “to develop a sense of oneness among our people and the volleyball games had been an effective means to achieve it”.

“Everybody came to watch,” Sagembo said, noting that the teams that played were cheered on by their respective fans and supporters, making the games more exciting.

Penny said: “During the games, the people themselves handled the security concern and prevented those who tried to come drunk … if there was a fight brewing, the people immediately dealt with it and resolve the problem …”

EM TV, a local network, sent a crew to cover the final games, an indication that the Tembari sports event, although a modest village affair, was worth all the coverage for a national broadcast.As a background to the games preparation, Penny asked all of us to seek donors / sponsors for the trophies. Again, we all contacted potential donors. Rishabh and myself emailed to various people seeking donors of trophies, volleyball nets and volleyballs. It was not long before RH Foundation, the charity arm of RH (PNG) Group, responded, saying it will shoulder the cost of all trophies to be awarded

Paint company AzkoNobel also responded and wanted to pay for all the trophies. Informed that RH Foundation had already taken them, AzkoNobel settled for the volleyball nets and balls.


Knowing that such events are prone to petty problems caused by unruly people, Rishabh suggested why don’t we keep an award for the “Best District” – the one whose people were not involved in troubles or mischief during the games?”

We again explored and my three friends from HiTRON, a TV cable provider based in Port Moresby, namely Tony, Lourdes and Jocelyn, came to our rescue and shouldered the cost of the “Best District” award.

On other side, Penny met with the district leaders and enjoined them to instill discipline among their people if they wanted the event to succeed. And that the “most-behaved” district will get the “Best District” award.
So, this was the incentive that had kept all the districts on its toes – keeping their respective members well-disciplined, well-behaved till the games finally closed today, Sunday, September 18.

Hopefully, this much-needed discipline stays on – for good.

The launching of the Tembari volleyball events on Independence Day was ushered in by spectacles of sing-sing (cultural dances and songs) from Oro and Central provinces.

Witnessed by about 2,000 settlement people, Tembari’s first foray into a community-wide sports event was already an indication that similar activities in future would get the same involvement from the community.

As always, the three-day community frenzy would not be possible – a big success at that -- without the co-operation of the people.

Community chairman Rex Nichoi really worked hard going around the community and enjoining the people to simply behave their best and enjoy the games.

Our sponsors – RH Foundation, AzkoNobel, the troika of Tony, Loudes and Jocelyn of HiTron – played a big part in bringing this to reality. We really can’t thank them enough.

(The elimination and the final round games for men and women will continue on Saturday, September 24. Five men's teams will vie for the final rounds. Presentation of awards will follow shortly. Tembari's women's team is now assured of a final round slot, while the men's team has failed to score in any round as opposition proved too much for them to handle.)

Email the blogger: ahernandez@thenational.com.pg
and aphernandez58@yahoo.com




A fiercely-fought game on Saturday. At least 18 teams – 10 for men and eight for women – competed in the tournament.

The much-coveted shields and trophies on display during the game.

A women’s game is in progress (right) as seen from behind the trophies.

The Tembari men’s team, which failed to win any game.

The women’s team, led by Penny Sage-embo, Tembari founder (left standing), had advanced into the finals shortly after this picture was taken.

Shower for Tembari kids

Very soon, this Tembari kid would enjoy a bath, at least once a day. Tembari is now finding ways to provide him and the rest of about 200 Tembari kids a daily wash, if not three times a week, thanks to the ample water being supplied by donors Pure Water Company and High Energy Co. – Pic by AP HERNANDEZ


By ALFREDO P HERNANDEZ
A Friend of Tembari Children

“HOW would you like to wash?” I asked a Tembari kid, age 7, last week.

(“Wash” is a common term here in Papua New Guinea to mean taking a bath or shower.)

“Very much …Fredo … but we got no water at home … so I don’t wash …” the boy replied, jerking the hem of his round shirt collar, sniffing at himself. Then, he made a face.

The boy is not alone in this mess.

I knew that almost all of our about 200 beneficiary children at Tembari don’t wash. They just don’t have the means with which to take a bath -- even once a day.

The simplest reason is that there is not much water to talk about at ATS Oro settlement, home to Tembari Children’s Care day care facility; that the locals here would like to believe it is a curse that befell on them from the sky, instead of rain, which they would prefer having.

For wanting to cut its losses, water company Eda Ranu has drastically reduced the volume of water being supplied to the settlement.

Not only that, it weakened the pumping pressure so that less water would reach the settlement’s public tap where the residents access water.

Over the last two years, I have mingled with the Tembari kids at least every Saturday when I do volunteer work at the day care center – cooking for them special lunch is my forte – and have become used to their body odor.

And some smelled badly at that. I felt sad for our girls who were equally mired in this smelly affair.

And even Hayward Sagembo, Co-Founder and Director of Tembari Children’s Care (TCC), has complained.

He told me last week: “They stink … they badly need a wash …”

But this should end one of these days – or shall I say, very soon.

With 15,000 liters of potable water now being supplied to Tembari every month by two donors, we may be able to let our kids, who wanted to wash, just do that – take a bath.

Says Hayward: “I want to install a shower room near the two water tanks so that those who would like to wash can do so anytime …”

He said Tembari has enough water now – an obvious source of envy from settlement people -- which is stored in two 5,000 liter tanks nearby.

One tank, donated by RH Foundation last year is being refilled by a bulk water contractor every four weeks.

The cost of the water – K300 -- is being paid for by fishing company High Energy, which is based in Port Moresby.

The second tank – a recent donation from Pure Water Company, a water purifier concern also based in Port Moresby – is being topped up by the donor every two weeks for a total of 10,000 liters at a cost of K600 a month.

The manager, Helen MacIndoe told me: “I want you to have enough clean water … this is why I decided to deliver twice a month …”

Before the water tank came just recently, Pure Water Company has already been delivering to Tembari 20 containers (19 liters) of purified water every week.

In fact, the first delivery of 20 containers came with an electric-operated hot-cold water dispenser, which Helen said would be a hygienic way to dispense with drinking water to the kids.

Of the generous 20 containers she delivers every week (usually cost per container is K15), Helen said she wanted to make sure the children have enough clean water to drink always.

Although the bulk water her company delivers to Tembary has been treated (with chlorine), Helen would still prefer that the children drink purified water.

“It is chemical-free,” she said, “and just fine for the kids ...”

True enough, the children are now drinking enough amount of water every after meals.

Time was when the children never drunk water after their meals, only fresh milk or cordial drink whichever was available.

Things have really changed the better for the Tembari kids.

And our volunteer mothers who prepare their meals every day – noon snacks and early dinner – have seen to it that the children wash their hands before every meal.

Requiring the kids to wash their hands was my first instruction to the volunteer mothers after I was able to secure a donation of bulk water from Thomas Kuo, manager of High Energy, last year.

Since then, the practice has been ingrained among the kids.

Hopefully, taking a bath would become an everyday affair for our children.

It is our hope that the Tembari kids could enjoy the simple pleasure of pouring themselves cool water -- from head to foot -- in an act of ridding themselves of germs and skin diseases that have been crawling all over them.

The wash room (bathroom) that we have in mind is simple: A small walled cubicle fitted with a shower tub common in many apartment accommodations around Port Moresby, and with a proper drainage system.

If you think you are able enough to provide us a simple shower tub for our kids’ bathroom – one for girls and the other for boys - please don’t hesitate to contact us.

To go with this appeal is a request for a donation of anti-skin germ soap cakes. And bath towels and five 10-liter buckets.

I am quite certain that once our children have started the daily task of cleansing their bodies, we would be consuming a lot of anti-skin germ bar soaps.

So, please … we need your support on this.

Truly, Tembari has entered a phase in which it has become self-sufficient in clean water, a rare feat that is now greatly benefiting the Tembari children.

This won’t be possible without the continuing support of our generous donors – RH Foundation, High Energy Co and Pure Water Company.

In short, the Tembari kids are getting there.

Meantime, we – with help from our benefactors -- could only work our best for their welfare.

For comments, please email the blogger: ahernandez@thenational.com.pg and aphernandez58@yahoo.com