It is a children’s home where we take care of over 30 children, as well as a small but growing Vocational/Technical school where youth and adults are given training. The training will allow them to have jobs and experience that will allow them to have work skills to have a job in the local area without having to leave their families behind and work elsewhere.
It is located on the northwest coast of the island of Mindanao, the southernmost large island in the chain of islands that comprise the country of the Philippines.
The Children’s Home
We provide the children at least one hot meal a day. If funds allow, they get a second meal or a snack.
We provide medical care as needed. While doctor’s visits and medicine are typically much less expensive than in the USA, it is almost always beyond the means of the families in the fishing village.
In addition to the medical care, we provide vitamin and mineral supplements. This started when we found that 3 of the children were losing their eyesight due to malnutrition. Through supplements and treatment under the doctor’s supervision, the eyesight loss has been arrested this last year, and in one case, the eyesight is being recovered. The doctor explained that aggressive treatment for children under 12-10 is often quite successful as their eyes are still developing.
We provide schooling assistance. This consists of school supplies, fees and expenses, and in the case of the older children, uniforms. We also help provide school supplies since many of the families struggle to provide the amount that is needed for school. We often see children being taken out of school and start working around the age of 12 years old and up, because it takes the whole family to try to provide for the family.
Lastly, we work with the Philippine National Police to address the sexual trafficking that is in the area and has directly affected 3 of the children. One of the girls that started years ago, is now married, but she had been molested. The perpetrator has gone to trial and been found guilty, but is in the appeals process. Two of the girls have been approached, but the PNP Policewoman that is our contact as well as a volunteer, handled that situation for us.
The school
The school is in the early stages due to funding. As mentioned above, we see children often quitting school around 12-13 years of age. We are currently helping with them with learning what they lost when they quit school. Also, in the planning stages as funds allow, are vocational and technical training and business classes that will help them find a job or to open possibilities for self-employment. There are also free online courses provided by the Philippine government. However, for many of the youth and adults, the free courses are out of reach for them as they do not have access to computers. We are working on getting computers and a network connection so that they can study these courses in addition to what we will be providing.
Can you help?
$50.00 will fully support a child for a month for the food, medical and supplements, school supplies.
$75.00 pays all the utilities for a month.
$100.00 pays the lease for a month.
$150.00 pays the cost of a teacher plus their healthcare and Social Security.
There are other one-time costs that can be met.
$5,500 would buy the property instead of leasing.
There are things like finishing the ends of the roof, completing the wiring so that instead 2 receptacles and many extension cords running all over the house, a stove so that Inday can cook with more than a camp stove. If one of these interested you, you may contact us for more information.
You can keep up with the happenings at the children’s home in your Facebook feed by liking and following us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/childrens.hope.90
You may also support the children’s home by going to the following link http://hopehomeandschool.com/index.php/support/
Also, if you share the Facebook postings when you find them interesting, it will help spread the word about our children.
If you would like to hear more about the children’s home, I am available to speak to your church, missions group, or other organization.
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