By Maritoni L. Saberon | Project Officer
CRISES in the family sometimes drive children away from home. At five years old, Izza and her younger brother escaped from their abusive dad who had made beating them black and blue an ordinary scenario after their mother left them.
The streets near a mall seemed to be a welcoming place for them to stay. The presence of other children reassured them of a better life where freedom was at its best. When they got hungry, they begged for food or money. They vended cigarettes and candies on the streets at times. At night, they retired to sleep anywhere on the sidewalks. They struggled to survive along with older children who sniffed aromatic solvent to alleviate their hunger. But unlike them, they chose to work harder to be able to eat. They would even attend school everyday where they were given free food and school supplies just for them to show up and learn each day.
However, there were times that the street offered not comfort but danger. One night while Izza was asleep, male teenagers rubbed fresh chilies on her face that she woke up with her face so hot. She cried while they laughed at her. Consequently, the government’s social agency prioritized her to be referred to a residential care facility, the Children’s Joy Foundation, Inc. in Cebu.
On her first day at CJFI, apprehensive Izza tried to escape. She climbed the fence but the social worker was able to stop her and talked some sense into her. She decided to stay.
Today, Izza adjusted well with other children in the shelter. She said that she is happy where she is now. “I am happy to be here because they take care of us especially when we are sick. They give us medicines and they would cook for us,” she said in the vernacular.
She proudly shared that she has her own bed and cabinet in the shelter. She also learned how to do simple household chores. Izza said “Kabalo nako manglaba unya kabalo nako manghinlo ug manilhig (I know how to wash my clothes. I also learned how to clean the house and sweep the floor).”
When asked about her favorite subject in school, she replied, “Math. Ganahan ko ug Math kay bright man ko sa Math (I like Math because I am good at it).” This can be attributed to her experience in selling goods which trained her to be good at computation at an early age.
Izza is currently in Grade 1 with his younger brother, JR. She attends a school managed by religious missionaries who give street children the opportunity to be educated for free. With her life now on its right track, she is motivated to do well in school until she graduates successfully. She dreams to be a news anchor and be seen on TV in the future.
There are still more children on the streets who believe that life could never be better for them. What they need is a CHANCE to see beyond their existing world. Once they get it, abandoned children like Izza can work hard on the realization of their dreams. We give them the opportunities to do it.
As year 2015 comes to an end, we would like to thank you for your selfless dedication in helping us continue our advocacy for the abandoned, neglected, and orphaned children in the Philippines. With your generosity and trust, you have helped us grow not only in terms of the number of needy children that we have supported but also in our personal commitment to deliver our programs and services the best way we can.
Thank you so much. We wish you and all those close to you a joyous holiday season and a new year of happiness.
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By Maritoni L. Saberon | Project Officer
By Maritoni L. Saberon | Project Officer
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