Returning workers donate $8,200 to Alonga Centre [1]
Friday, August 12, 2011 - 19:09. Updated on Wednesday, September 11, 2013 - 09:54.
THE Alonga Centre for the handicapped at Pea in Tongatapu were treated to a feast and received a donation of $8,200 from a group of Tongan fruit-pickers who had completed seven months under the Pacific Seasonal Workers Pilot Scheme to Australia (PSWPS).
The Poletaki Group of 24 men returned last night, August 11 and made the first initiative to give back to those in need and with the assistance of their families cooked up a feast for over 20 disabled residents at the centre.
Rev Liuaki Fungalei handed over the donation to the keeper of the centre Lavinia Satini.
Lavinia in an emotional speech thanked the men for their generosity. Instead of sharing firstly their time and earnings with their families, they shared it with them and they were most grateful.
The group worked at 2PH orchard at Emerald in Brisbane pruning and picking citrus and grapes, and were recruited in Tonga by Puniani Vaitohi and Rev Liuaki Fungalei, who worked with the farms in Australia.
Success
Toetu'u Tavake of Puke the leader of the group said their work was a success because they were disciplined and worked hard.
He commended 2PH orchard as the best and said they earned around AUD$750 weekly after expenses were paid. He was also proud that the group members had improved the livelihood of their families as some had renovated their homes and paid off loans. "At the same time we are very happy to have assisted the Alonga centre," he said.
It is understood this is the sixth group that have been sent to Australia by the local recruiters and there is a seventh group to leave Tonga later in October, with more than 24 people. There are still over 50 Tongan workers in Australia under the scheme.
Tonga signed a Memorandum of Understanding in November 2008 and was the first of the five Pacific Island countries to send workers to Australia under the PSWPS. Around 500 visas have been issued and around 450 of which have been to Tonga.
The three-year pilot ends in June 2012 and would be reviewed in term of its continuance.