Balgowlah North Public School Christmas Markets

Monday, December 15, 2008

Manly-Manado took part in the Balgowlah North Public School Christmas market to raise awareness of the Compassion Child Survival Program and to talk to the students and parents about what life is like for some children in Manado.  Children at the market were taught how to make a ball from scrap materials just like the children on the Sumompo Rubbish Dump would in Manado.  "It was a great way to demonstrate what life in parts of Manado is like for children," said Karen Lee, organiser of the Manly-Manado stand and parent at the school.  "We were able to tell the children how some children in Manado don't have access to toys and sporting equipment and they play with whatever they can make for themselves from the materials they find around them."

Children also learned about how the children of Sumompo collect rubbish for a living and earn approximately $1 for 4kg of rubbish.  "It was a real eye opener for the kids and a great opportunity to be able to talk to them about what life for some children in Manado is like.  Christmas is a time to be thinking of those less fortunate than ourselves and what we can give to the poor.  We were able to talk to parents and students about ways in which the Manly-Manado community partnership can help empower and assist our neighbours in Manado who are trapped in poverty." 

 

22kms north of Manado is Bahowo Tongkeina a fishing village with not enough fish or productive agricultural land to support the local community.

The 14 women of the Silo Group, one of Bridge of Hope's micro-enterprise loan groups, have used their loans to invest in different businesses, support their children in their studies and support their family's needs.