Thieves rob centre for orphans

 By BENNY GETENG

A CARE centre looking after orphans and abandoned  children  in Port Moresby was broken into and K3,000 stolen last week.

The Tembari Children Care Centre is a community-based organisation established in 2003 to cater for orphans and abandoned children by providing elementary education and food. 

The centre was taking care of 250 children when it was broken into in the early hours of last Wednesday.

Project coordinator Penny Sage-embo said the K3,000 was supposed to be used to pay teachers and cooks and buy food for the children.

“We are a community initiative that was set up to assist disadvantaged children in Port Moresby with most of our assistance in funds coming from the Malaysian Association of PNG and other generous business houses in the city,” she said.

“The money was withdrawn from the bank recently to meet the cost of our small operation, including formal elementary education which consists of three classrooms and our nutrition programme, which gives the children a decent dinner every day. 

“Now we have no funds to help us in our operations.”

She said the centre was doing its best to provide a better alternative in life for the children by giving them formal education and a decent meal.

Gordon police were investigating the matter.

Sage-embo is urging business houses in the city, the three National Capital District MPs and NCD Governor Powes Parkop to assist them.