Jimmy Drekore honoured with 'Nobel Prize for children'
06 October 2016
FRANCIS NII
JIMMY DREKORE, founder of Simbu Children Foundation, has been awarded what has been termed the 'Nobel Prize for Child Advocates'.
The World of Children Award is the highest recognition for people who contributed exceptionally to the betterment of children and Papua New Guinea is the first country in the Pacific to receive this global accolade.
Jimmy Drekore is well known to PNG Attitude readers as an entrepreneur, philanthropist and an established poet.
As well as his vital work with the Simbu Children Foundation, he is PNG’s Digicel Man of Honour and President of Simbu Writers Association.
He comes from the rugged mountains of Giu-Emmai in the Sinasina Yongomugl District of Simbu Province and this internationally honour reflects his commitment to improving the lives of sick, orphaned and otherwise disadvantaged children in Simbu over the last 12 years.
Jimmy started SCF in 2004 while working at the Newcrest gold mine on Lihir Island. In May 2013, he resigned from his lucrative job as an analytical chemist to work fulltime on the foundation raising and deploying funds to help children receive specialist medical services that were not available locally.
Through Jimmy’s work, many children with heart disease have been saved by cardiac specialists from Australia who come each year to Port Moresby. SCF also addresses other health issues affecting children’s health and wellbeing like providing CT scans and preventing parent to child transmission of HIV.
“I didn’t think it was real,” Jimmy said when asked how he felt about the award. “It took a while for me to digest and when I accepted it I showed the email to my wife and we were humbled.
“The Drekore family dedicates this World of Children Award to Simbu and all who have supported Simbu Children Foundation,” he added.
“I am glad I have supported SCF,” said Wera Mori MP, Member for Chuave, vice minister for mining in the PNG government and the only local MP who consistently supports the work of SCF.
Jimmy and his wife, Merlyn Waim Drekore, the invincible force behind the success story of SCF are flying to New York City this month to receive the award.
The award is worth $US50,000 and there is also a matching grant that SCF can obtain.
For every dollar raised by SCF, World of Children will match it with two dollars until the total reaches $US30,000.
To begin the fundraising in Simbu for the matching grant, a wheelbarrow push is planned for next Wednesday in Kundiawa Town.
Anyone interested in supporting SCF in its bid to raise the matching component can contact Jimmy at: [email protected].
Thank you everyone for your congratulatory remarks and words of encouragement. Through the gracious hearts of the givers, SCF survived thus far, I am just a driver. Though the vetting was so rigorous we have passed all and voted to be the World of Children 2016 Health honoree. We are humbled to be awarded this prestigious award hence will continue to reach our to more children silently waiting to be reached.
Wakai we
Posted by: jimmy drekore | 10 October 2016 at 09:20 PM
Congratulations Jimmy, Merlyn and SCF!
Posted by: Michael Dom | 07 October 2016 at 10:25 PM
Jimmy and the humble organisation that he helped formed exemplifies the type of socially-conscious community project that the rest of the educated sons and daughters of Papua New Guinea must spare a thought to.
Well done and congratulations team SCF.
Posted by: Corney Korokan Alone | 07 October 2016 at 05:04 PM
Jimmy you are a real man of vision. Salute you big time. You deserve every recogition.
Gembogl Nem-Japan
Posted by: John Bob | 07 October 2016 at 04:52 PM
Angra, Yaglwakai we.
Posted by: Paul Waugla Wii | 06 October 2016 at 09:41 PM
Congratulation JD, for you and SCF and Simbu and PNG. You are a shining light for all of us.
Go get it and smile for all of us.
Posted by: Baka Bina | 06 October 2016 at 05:43 PM
Congratulations Jimmy and Merlyn🎈🎈
Posted by: Rashmii Bell | 06 October 2016 at 04:27 PM
Congratulations Jimmy for a well deserved award. It's good to see your work recognised.
Posted by: Bob Cleland | 06 October 2016 at 03:29 PM
Good one and congratulations. Jimmy and those behind SCF are inspiring many people in Simbu and around the country that it can be done.
Posted by: John K Kamasua | 06 October 2016 at 12:46 PM
Congratulations Jimmy. Your old school, Downlands Sacred Heart College at Toowoomba, will be so proud of your outstanding achievements.
Posted by: Rob Parer | 06 October 2016 at 09:56 AM
Akra, go receive it and bring it home for us. Wakai wo.
Posted by: Bomai Witne | 06 October 2016 at 08:49 AM
Outstanding, far and away, leading. Congratulations Jimmy and Merlyn.
Posted by: Lindsay F Bond | 06 October 2016 at 07:37 AM
Jimmy you deserve it bro. Go and enjoy the limelight in New York.
I saw how active and resourceful you were when I came for the 2015 Crocodile Prize presentations in Kundiawa last year.
Your members of parliament like Kerenga Kua and Wera Mori were also interested and supportive of literary development in Simbu and the welfare of its children.
Some of us are from places where politics is the daily food fed to the people.
Posted by: Daniel Kumbon | 06 October 2016 at 06:35 AM
Congratulations, Jimmy. This is a fitting tribute to your labours.
Posted by: `Robin Lillicrapp | 06 October 2016 at 06:06 AM