We were privileged to listen to Rev. Amanaki In-Kwon Kim and his wife Ofa Jeong-Seok Kim who run the Mango Tree Centre, a rehabilitation centre in Tonga that provides free physiotherapy, computer classes, counselling and recreational facility activities to disabled people and their families.
Amanaki shared various aspects of the Centre via a PowerPoint that included the devastation recent storms have had on Tonga and the value of the various levels of support the centre is able to give to families with a disabled family member.
Coming from a background in disability work and providing support to slum inhabitants as part of their missionary, the pair next moved into supporting people with disabilities as their main focus. In 2007 they stayed with a family with children with disabilities and helped them experience life outside of their home via a family camp.
They then began setting up the Mango Tree Centre which means “hidden treasures”. In explain the name, Amanaki shared that one advantage of using the Mango rather than the Coconut tree is that when in their shade you are also not risking being hit by a falling coconut. The name is also a symbol for shelter for people with disabilities.
While numbers were small to begin with, it soon blossomed as families realised the value of the joint fellowship the centre offered. The project quickly grew and now helps over 130 people plus has full time staff, volunteers, and part time teachers. This enabled them to broaden their offerings to provide physiotherapy, OT, classes for the blind and computer training which is taught by an adult with a disability.
One person who attends the centre commented:
“This facility really helps as there is not much else available and we are learning new life skills”.
Last February as the result of a severe storm many houses were lost resulting in people living in tents or makeshift shelters. It especially hit families too poor to own their own house.
As a result a building project is underway in which the centre constructs a stronger house for one family each year. They also help refurbish houses which included increasing the size of a main door in one house so a family member with a disability can enter and leave using his oversized wheelchair.
People with a disability in Tonga receive no funding from the government but a bank supports families by providing a small amount of cash.
Two years ago the centre assisted a family who lost their mother. The centre also provides funds to bring people to and from the centre because if they remain at home their parents cannot work and earn money to support the family.
Amanaki and Ofa were very appreciative of the support they have received from Papanui Rotary in recent years and look forward to a continued relationship with us.
If you would like to see individual photos from Amanki's presentation click here.
