Tongan kava clubs in Mangere, New Zealand, donated $2,000 pa’anga to the ‘Ofa Tui mo ‘Amanaki (OTA) centre in Tongatapu today, 4 August.

Toutai Vaea, representing the kava clubs, handed over the funds to Red Cross Secretary General Sione Taumoefolau.

Sione was very grateful for the donation to the school. He said it was established in 1976 by Queen Halaevalu Mata'aho who helped fund it.

“Currently, the government does not provide any assistance to us, and it is run on the generosity of people.”

He said the children attending the school have different disabilities, physical and mental, and the work was not an easy job.

Funds donated will help with petrol for the OTA vehicle used to transport students to and from their homes from Mondays to Thursdays.

OTA staff member Meleane Lomu told Matangi Tonga it would also go towards providing daily lunches for the students.

"Not only that, but it will also go towards providing other needs such as toiletries, and assisted technologies for the children, such as hearing aids and eye glasses."

Meanwhile, the kava clubs aim to collect funds quarterly to donate to the OTA, said Toutai.

“If there is anything else the OTA needs, please let us know and the kava clubs will do what they can to assist,” he told staff.

Fakaosi Maama, also a kava club representative, said the New Zealand kava clubs had been making donations to various community groups over the last six years, including the 'Alonga Centre, hospital, Women and Children Crisis Centre, the Catholic Carmelite order at Fahefa, and for very poor families.

“The New Zealand kava clubs not only donate cash, they also donate shopping goods and school scholarships for those in need, on Tongatapu, ‘Eua, Vava’u, and Ha’apai.”