Help Feed and Send to School Poor Kids in the Phil

To our GlobalGiving donors, we’d like to inform you that just very recently eight (8) young school children coming from poor families now under the care of Children’s Joy Foundation have exploded their hearts with so much joy when they were given a joint party to celebrate their birthdays. They are among of the many destitute children that you been supporting to go to school and feed them with the right amount of food they need.

The event has become part of CJFI’s regular activities implemented in six (6) child care residential centers few months ago.  Every end of the month, birthday bashes are celebrated to give them a sort of a fulfillment in their lives.  A poor child, in his everyday life, the battle is always survival.  Every meal whether it is mixed with a viand or just plain carbohydrates, as long it satisfies their hunger, it is enough for them.

A teenage Charlyn, one of the birthday celebrants, expressed her joy with a big smile and a burst of laughter when she hold her birthday cake.  “Salamat sa mga sponsor, ug Children’s Joy, lipay kaayo ko karon.”  Thanks to sponsor and Children’s Joy, I am very happy today.  CJFI took custody of Charlyn when she was a Grade V pupil after her single parent mother was put in prison for a crime that until today she is battling in court.  Now Charlyn is a Grade 8 student. When asked what her birthday wish is, she said, I wanted to finish my studies.  I am so privilege that Children’s Joy supported my schooling.  Thank you so much Children’s Joy.  (Gusto nako mahuman akong pag-iskwela.  Prebilihiyo kaayo tungod kay gitabangan ko sa Children’s Joy sa akong pag-iskwela.)

Sixty-four percent (64%) of CJFI’s children are in grade level or elementary. The rest are high school and preschoolers.  All of them are described either as abandoned, orphaned, neglected or dependent children.  Majority falls under a neglected children.  Under the Philippine law (PD 603 Article 141), a neglected child is one whose basic needs have been deliberately unattended or inadequately attended by his parents or guardian. Neglect may occur in two ways, physical and emotional neglect.

The happiness of Ruthie, a Grade VI pupil who has been with CJFI for one year through the help of DSWD, couldn’t be described when she hold her birthday cake. “Wala ako mama ug papa dinhi pero nalipay ko.  Daghan mi nag-celebrate sa birthday, kauban diri sa balay ug sa school.” (My father and mother are not around but I am happy.  Many of us are celebrating our birthday, with my housemates and schoolmates.)

Joshua, a birthday celebrant, grew up who did not know his real parents. He was abandoned when he was very young.  He dreamed to see his real parents but his longing was seemed non-existent in his mode as his face was full of smile and joy when he hold his simple gift and a cone of ice cream. Truly what makes a child become happy is simply make their simple wishes come true. Joshua is a grade schooler, a loner type, his schoolmates described him.  That loner tendencies of Joshua did not manifest in his usual mode.  All we could see in him were smile and laughter while watching other celebrants dancing.

Ruthie, Charlyn, Joshua, Kyle, Crispin, Jake, Farah, and Faith are CJFI’s school children with a birthday bash recently.  They are housed in a newly built child care residential center opened in June 2016. The facility was issued with e level 3 accreditation by the Philippines’ Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).  Such achievement is the first in the country among child caring agencies and is considered as the center of excellence.

The center is equipped with the required facilities to speed up the development process of every child admitted to the center. It has a computer laboratory consisting of 20 units of desktops and a library where CJFI’s school children make their assignments and research.  Faith has four siblings who are living with her in the center vented his grateful remarks to Children’s Joy Foundation, the donors and all the people behind CJFI for taking her and her siblings. All of them are given the privilege to continue their schooling.  She is thankful of the amenities she has enjoyed.  “Nindot kaayo among pagtulog dinhi, bugnaw.  Ang tanan needs namo gi-provide gyod. Momata mi sa buntag, andam na ang food. Kun mag-research ko naa computer laboratory na hay tek. Salamat gyod ko sa Children’s Joy.” (Our sleep here is very nice, its cool. All our needs are provided. When we wake up in the morning, the food is ready.  If I make a research, there is a computer laboratory that is high-tech. I’m so thankful to Children’s Joy.)

Our GlobalGiving donors, we continue to appeal and touch generous hearts to continue support this project.  No matter how small your donation is, truly it will always trickle to every child in our child care residential centers who need your help.  Every face of a child with a smile is a joy in our hearts.  Our accomplishments, our success are yours too because we are in the same team with one goal, to lead the lives of the poor little children we care to become responsible, productive, and active contributing members in the society.

THANK YOU.

Links:

• website

Maylin is one of the children who was admitted to CJFI Child Care Residential Center in Davao City in June 2016. Prior to her admission, her family was experiencing extreme poverty that every meal for them is a question where to get it.

The family of Maylin originated from a depressed municipality in Davao Oriental, Philippines.  The place was badly destroyed by a typhoon four years ago.  Their sources of income, a small farm with coconut trees were gone prompting the family to migrate to the city of Panabo but their lives become even more in miserable condition as sources of living is even more difficult in the locality attributed to her father lack of skills.     

She is the eldest of five siblings.  Her father got sick and needs special attention.  Her mother is illiterate unable to read and write.  Together with her four siblings her father and mother, they lived in a shanty in a squatters location that when it rains they have nowhere to go but just cover themselves with available pieces of cartons to keep them from being wet. 

In her very young age of 9 year old, Maylin learned the basics of a family life.  She took care of her younger siblings, washed their clothes and cooked food if there was available to be cooked as her mother had been occupied of taking care of the youngest member of the family with an age of just less than a year. Sometimes, their neighbors would come to give food for her younger siblings.  This is the life of Maylin and her family before she was brought to Children’s Joy Foundation, Inc. for appropriate intervention.

Until one day, a miracle of blessing came upon them when the City Social Services Development Office  (CSSDO) of the local government of Panabo rescued the whole family.  In the Philippines this office is a social arm of the local government unit to undertake social services to needy families in the locality.  As a matter of procedure, the family was provided with appropriate planned interventions by CSSDO, one of which was to refer the four siblings, Maylin (9 year old), Marcelito (8 year old), Julito (7 year old), and Crispin (3 year old) to Children’s Joy Foundation, Inc. for shelter. The CSSDO takes care of her father and mother with their youngest.

At present, Maylin and her three siblings are happily living in CJFI Child Care Residential Center in Davao City nearly five months already receiving the services and care they need.  Maylin continues her studies as a Grade III pupil of Jose Maria College.  “nindot amo kinabuhi diri Children’s Joy, gwapo amo balay, daghan pagkaon, dili nako manglaba, naa pud houseparents nagbantay namo” (Our life is good here in Children’s Joy, we have beautiful house, abundance food, I’m not washing clothes anymore, there are houseparents who take care of us) said a happy Maylin.  “Sa una amo balay daghan buslot atop, mosulod ang ulan ug mabasa mi.” (Before, our house has many leaks in the roof, the rain comes in and we get wet).  

Maylin has gained improvement in her physical body.  At the time of her admission, she was underweight and malnourished. His three siblings were also malnourished. She has gained weight and very happy living with other children in the center.  She behaves to her houseparents.  She performs well in the school.

To all our donors and supporters, every penny you donate to this project is very meaningful to the lives of the many destitute Filipino children that we are helping through our Residential Based Support Program or RBSP, a 24 hour services provided to children sheltered in our center. Such services include provision of food, medical, home life, psychosocial, sports/recreation, and skills development.  As a donor, you are an important part of our team helping these children change the course of their lives.

Please continue your support to this project, and be blessed.  Thank you. 

Links:

• website