Our Manila Slum Program (MSP) helps alleviate poverty by supporting the schooling of children from vulnerable communities in Manila. Beneficiaries receive monthly financial support, and the program organizes regular meetings and seminars with the parents to ensure that they are part of their children’s education. The seminars cover important topics such as OSAEC (Online Sexual Abuse and Exploitation of Children) awareness and online safety. In the future, seminars about good parenting will be conducted, as guided by the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s (DSWD) Parenting Effectiveness Service (PES).
We would like to share with you the stories of our two beneficiaries, Joy and Jan—from MSP’s third community, Daantubo.
Joy is an eight-year-old girl who recently completed a school year under our program. In our recent visit, we spoke with her and her mother to check on them. Joy happily shared that the allowance we provided them was used to arrange a tricycle service that sends her to and from school every day. Now that there is no more excuse for her not to attend school, Joy never misses a day of school.
As young as she is, she still recalls the days when she would often cry whenever her mother would tell her she could not come to school because she needed help selling flowers on the streets instead. An eight-year-old child telling us this warmed our hearts so much because it only showed how, even at such a tender age, she knew that education is an important right that must be given to children. It also gives us the impression that she knows and values the opportunity she had been given. Stories like hers are reasons why we keep believing in the work we do—it’s because they believe in us, too.
Jan (17) is now preparing to enter Grade 12 this upcoming school year. Before joining our program, her future seemed uncertain. At that age, girls start to form identities of who they are supposed to be, but with a life that focuses merely on survival, it is quite a challenge to sit back and really think about what your life’s purpose may be. She would often wander the streets directionless, hoping to find clarity in every turn.
When we supported her for MSP, Jan slowly began to realize that her “directionless” life would always have paths that bring her back to her higher self. Jan slowly began to see that her story could change. The educational assistance she receives has helped her continue her studies, but beyond this, she shared that the activities, mentoring, and life skills training helped build her confidence and gave her a stronger sense of purpose. She began discovering her abilities, learning how to express herself, and learning that her life is just getting started and just about to get better.
These two girls may be of different age brackets, but one thing remains in these two stories: both girls find renewed hope in their lives and see that beyond their realities, people are looking out for them and rooting for their growth.
Our Partners
Be a Part of the Solution
We need 10 people or families each willing to donate USD 3,500 | AUD 5,000 per year for 3 years to start in a new community. Help us provide education and support to children and families in Manila’s slum communities.
With your support, we can stop the “slum story” with this generation of children.
