Helping less fortunate children
THE PNG Children Foundation is a non government organization set up to raise funds for under privileged children and mothers in Port Moresby.
Poverty and unemployment have forced many children out of schools and onto the streets and the while the Foundation is doing all it can to give these children a second chance it can not do it alone.
They need community, corporate and business support to make it happen.
The Foundation headed by Yiannis Nicolou, the general manager of Lamana Motel and with help from a few volunteers they organize activities to raise funds for their cause.
Yiannis said the Foundation’s main fundraiser event is the prestigious Little Princes of the World pageant which was started threes years ago.
The program has received a lot of praise and support from the business community and prominent people such as Governor General Sir Paulias Matane and Community Development minister Dame Carol Kidu.
Yiannis said last year seven contestants raised a staggering K162,000.00 for the Foundation.
The money has enabled the PNGCF to give under privileged recipients:
* Their right to basic education with 40 children continuing in primary level, and a further 160 children to be included this year;
* Continue weekly nourishment sessions through it’s feeding centers;
* Provide temporary shelter for abused and neglected children while a proper foster family is found.
* To raise awareness in the community of the needs of PNG children.
Contestants in the Little Princess of the World are aged between 8-12 and with support of their parents and sponsors raise as much money as possible during the 8 month pageant season.
Countries represented in the past were; Australia, Fiji, France, India, Philippines, Malaysia, United Kingdom, West Papua and PNG.
There are three main events held through the pageant season which can be utilized for fund raising:
1. Little Princess of the World Launching,
2. Little Princess of the World Talent Show,
3. Little Princess of the World Coronation.
Interested parents and sponsors should note that through this pageant, candidates:
*Are educated to be compassionate towards the less privileged,
*Gain confidence through public speaking and performances,
*Are recognized as young leaders which becomes an asset in the future,
*Gain the respect of high profiled Papua New Guineans and the international community,
*Receive much positive publicity through the media.
Yiannis said if you believe your daughter has what it takes to be a princess, fill out a form today at Lamana Hotel’s reception, together with a passport sized photo and the entry fee of K100.00.
Contact President of the PNGCF Yiannis Nicolaou for further information on ph: 323 2333 or e mail: yiannis@lamana.com.pg or Mrs. Nene Santa Cruz ph: 3233984.
PNGCF was formerly known as Bougainville Children Fund - a charity organization founded to assist the need children throughout the country.
Originally registered with IPA in 1998, the primary target at that time was the children of Bougainville.
After three years of operation under the leadership of Mrs Rarua Skate, BCF was able to raise more than K1million used to restart community schools, restructure buildings, provide medicine, water tanks, food & clothing and school supplies in the Bougainville crises area.
After the crisis in 2001, the name of the organization changed to PNG to be able to reach out to the rest of the nation.
PNGCF does not have any subsidy from the national government or donor funding agency, and it entirely depend on the LPW quest can cover the growing cost and needs of the abused and neglected children under its care.
The PNGCF dream is to build a pikinini multi-purpose centre that will serve as a temporary shelter for abused, neglected and abandoned children as well as teenage mothers who had been rejected by their family or community.
The centre will be a focal point of appropriate psycho-social services for the child to recover from the trauma and be reintegrated into a normal and loving family life.
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