Meet John Kambowa

WHEN I wrote the story about Michael D. Kapu, a final year student at Divine Word University who needed financial assistance for his tuition fee, a brother, John Kambowa in PNG was willing to help as well. (see Michael’s story below).

John is one such person who is committing his life to change PNG in a big way. He is not using money or any resources, but his heart and mind with a desire and commitment. That’s the most powerful weapon that we all human being posses.

On Wednesday 25 March 2009, I received an e-mail from John. The e-mail tells me more about himself. Thus, I am compelled to share his personal information and what he is doing for PNG.

You can help John in many ways. The best is your prayer for John.

Below is the e-mail I received from him (it is unedited).
…………………….

Hello Mathew

Many thanks!

I wish to let you know a bit about what I am doing at my leisure time. On one end am trying to look for a work to keep me going. Not in the public job market, I’m interested in doing something for myself in terms of consultancy work.

I have established an NGO eight years ago. Here, I quietly help the needy childrenin need from elementary to University and starting into overseas training. I have just received one of our school drop-outs who has just returned from Japan after spending 9 months training in modern practices in Agriculture. This year, we have partly sponsored around 200 needy children (I will see the final figure later) like from K50, 60, 70, 80 90 100 120, and K200.00. Our last sponsor was to Pepna K200.00 at DWI, Michael K100.00 at DWU, and Brian K100 here in POM. Our highest mobilization for sponsorship was for K50,000.00 to send this young lad to Japan. Initially, we have also supported a number of students overseas like Indonesia and USA also in a small way.

We are looking at fully sponsoring around 40 to 50 students next year 2010. These needy children would be secondary students. Our elementary, technical training and college training sponsorships shall continue next year. We need funds.

We shall commence construction of an elementary school this year for a disadvantaged remote rural community in the Highlands hopefully this year. We shall commence building a classroom for one of the remote community schools in the Highlands next year also.

After next week (on the 10 or 11 of April), we shall distribute library books for six primary schools in the highlands. Books are already shorted out and on the ground in Mt. Hagen. Enough books for the six schools to set their complete library blocks as first phase. Following, we shall arrange library books for another 34 primary schools. Arrangements are underway. Books from the USA and Australia. Program ongoing nationwide as targeted.

Currently, we have initiated a short term community Conflict Resolution and Restorative Justice training for Tambul Nebilyer Electorate partnering with Peace Foundation Melanesia and Member for Tambul/Nebilyer with an objective to address the tribal fighting, arm hold-ups, robbery, stealing, domestic violence, HIV-Aids, etc. It’s a one year program. Trainer-Trainers are selected from all over the electorate and they shall go through an intensive five weeks training program at Ogulbang Lutheran Seminary outside Mt. Hagen. These trainers shall return and deliver on the ground training with tribal communities of the electorate. I would like to see the 30 years of tribal fighting in the Nebilyer stop once and for all. The tribal fights in the Lower Kagul, Upper Kagul, Upper Nebilyer to Cease! The program shall run through out for a year. Program funded by Australian High Commission and AusAid under the Democratic governance program. We hope the Member shall contribute some resources.

Brother, I am unemployed. I am struggling to raise the funds and assist our strategic partners to deliver. All this is done in faith. I am not attending church but I am a very strong believer in the Lord. My background is having grown up with the Church. So the Lord shall provide as He sees our hearts desire.

I feel the community deserve our support. What difference can I make in the lives of others for the better? I want to be an Agent of Social Change for the better. Our change will come first from within ourselves. The power to bringing change is within our hands, and NOT in the hands of the politicians. We are equal to anyone. Leadership starts selflessly from within ourselves. Enough power and authority as been granted by our Great Lord above. Nothing is impossible.

Though I operated for over eight (8) years. I do not want media publicity. I do not deserve any credit for the community who is also in pain and need and deserve it after all. I am duty bound to help. I may need not to be paid as well. I have been doing it so but not enough and so little. I needed to do it more. I will continue to help as long as the Lord provides and grants me the time.

What I need from you all in China and elsewhere is just pass the word of month around to all friends overseas (China, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, USA, England, Germany, Singapore, Hong Kong, etc, etc) and elsewhere to help contribute towards our program if and when you have the time and Will to do. Let's make and bring change one at a time for a needy child and community in PNG.

We do not discriminate on the basis of gender, religion, status, nationality, etc, etc. We are color blind. We treat all as equal.

May in doing so, we could help and build the foundation for nation building. This is in enhancing and contributing towards Michaels suggestion for a Charity. We are already here perhaps one.

Our small charity is called Melanesia Education Development Foundation Inc based in Port Moresby. P O Box 1636 Port Moresby NCD. Phone: + 675 687 3448, Fax; 675 325 2667, email: Melanesiaeddevfoun@yahoo.com . Website: http://www.freewebs.com/Melanesiaeducationfoundation .

Please feel free to share this with all our friends overseas if you want to make a difference in a needy child/student's life. This is not for media publicity purposes so please take not of it.

With best of our wishes to you all in China and elsewhere.

John Senior Kambowa
Director
MEDF

Note: John does not want publicity but I am convinced that other people must know what he is doing. Thus, I uploaded his e-mail without his permission.