Tag Archives: child poverty

Shelley Callahan | March 21, 2023

For many years, I have looked forward to the time when I would be able to visit our affiliated sites in the Philippines.

Over the next weeks, I will continue to share more stories about each of our affiliated sites in the Philippines.

My knowledge of the country has been limited to what I would hear on global new stations relating to politics or natural disasters, and without ever having visited, I knew little else about this nation consisting of over 7,000 islands. But as with all the other countries I have had the privilege of traveling to with Children Incorporated, I knew that as soon as I met with our volunteer coordinators in the Philippines, my perspective of the country would change instantly and drastically.

A Trip across the globe

In mid-January, I first flew from the United States to the capital of Manila to meet with Joy and Angel, who operate the Fortune’s Children Center in the Fortune barangay — one of sixteen barangays (equivalent to a neighborhood or suburb in the U.S.) in the district of Marikina in Metro Manila. While there, I also had the chance to meet our former long-time coordinator, and the founder of the center, Polly Johnson.

Three days later, Joy drove me to Tagaytay, two hours south of Manila, where I met with our volunteer coordinator, Nilo, who runs the Pingapala Children’s Center. I was also introduced to Poying, who started the center after seeing the success and impact of the Fortune Center run by her close friend, Polly.

The second week of my journey took me on a short flight from Manila to Tacloban, in the Eastern Visayans region of the Philippines. Just in the last few years, we expanded our sponsorship program from one affiliated site in the region to three, all operated by Volunteers for the Visayans (VFV), a non-governmental organization that supports underprivileged communities in the area. My visit would mark the first time Children Incorporated was seeing the two new sites in person since their establishment as our partners during the pandemic.

A full schedule of visits

The main site of the five run by the VFV is the Visayans Center at Bliss, which is located in the heart of Tacloban in the Bliss neighborhood, tucked away among small alleyways surrounded by low-income housing. The Cancumbang and Santo Nino Centers are in more remote areas of the city, about 45 minutes away by car, where those families living in more rural settings face different types of struggles living in poverty from those in the city.

As always, thank you for your continued support of children in our program in the Philippines and around the world.

Our volunteer coordinators, Wimwim and Ester, who both work full-time for VFV, not only showed me all of the centers but scheduled their monthly supply distributions during my time with them so I met all our sponsored children and their parents while also seeing our work supporting these families in action.

Over the next weeks, I will continue to share more stories about each of our affiliated sites in the Philippines to highlight what our sponsors and donors have done for so many people in this vibrant, peaceful and beautiful country known as the Pearl of the Orient Seas. As always, thank you for your continued support of children in our program in the Philippines and around the world.

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How do I sponsor a child in the Philippines?

You can sponsor a child in the Philippines in one of three ways: call our office at 1-800-538-5381 and speak with one of our staff members; email us at sponsorship@children-inc.org; or go online to our sponsorship portal, create an account, and search for a child in the Philippines that is available for sponsorship.

SPONSOR A CHILD

Ron Carter | March 13, 2023

Dear Friends,

My nineteen-year-old daughter, a sophomore in college, moved into a shared apartment back in the fall. Deciding which of her belongings to bring from home was a challenge because of the limited space in her closet and dresser at the apartment.

New needs arise each day, and Children Incorporated is there to meet as many of those needs as possible, often through this special outreach effort – our Clothing and Shoes Fund.

My family is currently in the process of downsizing to a smaller house, so we wanted my daughter to take as many of her personal belongings with her as possible. She was actually forced to get rid of quite a few quality items as she moved into her new residence because there simply was no room for them.

You see, my daughter loves clothes and shoes, and she has a lot of them. She likes nothing better than to scour the racks at thrift, bargain, and vintage clothing stores in search of discounted name-brands and stylish jeans, tops, outerwear and sneakers. This problem – having too many clothes and shoes – is definitely not one that the children enrolled in Children Incorporated’s sponsorship program ever encounter. In fact, many of them face just the opposite issue. Over the years, we have heard numerous stories of children with only one outfit suitable to wear to school, or of children whose clothes are threadbare and ill-fitting. We have even witnessed siblings who shared one coat between them, forcing them to alternate the days they attended school during the heart of winter.

Our Clothing and Shoes Fund provides for children in the United States and across the world.

It is a common theme, even today, in many of our U.S. site locations for children to attend school during the coldest months of the year without socks, wearing flimsy footwear such as flip-flops, and without jackets, coats, gloves, or hats.

Our Clothing and Shoes Fund is one of the most important resources we have for helping children to dress appropriately, neatly, and warmly. This fund has provided pants, shirts, shoes and socks to thousands upon thousands of children in need. It was one of the first special funds that we created back in the 1960s and was originally called simply our Warm Clothing Fund. Over the decades we, through the incredible and continuing generosity of our sponsors and donors, have supplied children with coats and jackets, hats and gloves, and in some situations, sandals, shorts and t-shirts, to equip them for the weather where they live.

We come to you again, asking for your support of our Clothing and Shoes Fund. New needs arise each day, and Children Incorporated is there to meet as many of those needs as possible, often through this special outreach effort – our Clothing and Shoes Fund.

Our organization has repeatedly been recognized as an exemplary nonprofit by the major charitable monitoring groups, such as Charity Navigator and Charity Watch, because we take helping children seriously. Our mission is and always has been to improve lives and to offer hope and opportunity. We can only do these things with your help.

From the heart,
Ron Carter, President and CEO
Children Incorporated

DONATE NOW

Shelley Callahan | March 13, 2023En Español

Children living in poverty are enrolled in our sponsorship program for many different reasons directly related to their situations at home — or in some instances, their lack of a home.

With no home to return to after they are finished with school, these girls would become homeless or destitute if not able to remain at Maria Reyna until they found employment and adequate housing.

At the Maria Reyna Home in Honduras, girls from the local community who have been abandoned or are orphaned live full-time at the home, attend public and private schools, and thanks to their caring sponsors, are supported up until graduation from high school. But, with no home to return to after they are finished with school, these girls would become homeless or destitute if not able to remain at Maria Reyna until they found employment and adequate housing.

Today, we hear from Luis Bourdet, our Director of International Programs, about his visit to Maria Reyna in the fall of 2022, as he sheds some light on the dire situations of these young women and how Maria Reyna is a beacon of hope for them.

About the Maria Reyna Home

“Maria Reyna is located in San Pedro Sula, which is not only the capital of the country, but perhaps the largest and most industrial city in Honduras,” explains Luis.

With help from their sponsors, girls at the Maria Reyna Home receive long-term care and support.

“The city also has a large amount of social problems – including gang violence, poverty, and unemployment – which create an overall difficult situation for its citizens. Although the local government has implemented upgrades to the transportation system, more cars and an influx of migration has made the urban center a difficult and overcrowded place to live.”

“The Maria Reyna Home, which serves abandoned, abused, neglected and orphaned children, is beautiful. The infrastructure is large and wel-l cared-for, which creates a safe and comfortable environment for all the girls in attendance,” says Luis.

Rebuilding after COVID-19

“About 80 children used to live at the home before COVID-19 under the care of the congregation’s Sisters. Now the number is lower, but each year, it is increasing, and the Sisters think that this coming year they will have the possibility to enroll a similar number. Upon my visit, 45 children were enrolled in our sponsorship program.”

“All the girls attend local schools, and some are in a private school that provides scholarships for them. Children Incorporated sponsors support the girls at Maria Reyna by covering costs for food, school supplies, hygiene items, and other basic items as the needs arise,” explains Luis.

A place to call home

“A few years ago, Children Incorporated provided funds for the renovation and implementation of a housing unit at the home. This is basically an apartment within the home that can house about 8 to 10 girls, either because they have graduated from high school and want to attend university, or because they have graduated, have reached the age for dismissal, and the Sisters are giving them the opportunity to find housing and employment before they leave the home.”

“This is a very necessary part of the program, because otherwise, the girls have nowhere to go; staying at the home gives them the opportunity to change their circumstances for the better,” says Luis.

“Currently, there is a young girl attending a local private university on a scholarship provided by our Higher Education Fund, and she will be graduating from our program in a couple of years, which is very rewarding for both her and for our organization.”

“Before my visit ended, the sponsored girls shared some of their cooking and in-house baking with me, and we enjoyed delicious cheese bread baked that day. I truly enjoy visiting the home and seeing what the Children Incorporated program has done for the children!” says Luis.

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How do I sponsor a child in Honduras?

You can sponsor a child in Honduras in one of three ways: call our office at 1-800-538-5381 and speak with one of our staff members; email us at sponsorship@children-inc.org; or go online to our sponsorship portal, create an account, and search for a child in Honduras that is available for sponsorship.

SPONSOR A CHILD

Shelley Callahan | February 24, 2023En Español

In 1998, the deadliest storm in Central America’s recorded history caused nearly 12,000 deaths in Honduras and Nicaragua and devastated the small town of El Progreso. Because of the destruction, the local community created the El Refugio (which means “the shelter” in Spanish) Welfare Center to help children and families in need receive resources in the aftermath of the storm.

Last year, our Director of International Programs, Luis Bourdet, visited El Refugio, and found that nearly 25 years later, residents still rely on the support they started receiving decades ago.

“The support that children receive from their sponsors covers their basic needs – shoes, clothing, food items and school supplies – which help ensure the children stay in school and continue to get an education,” says Luis.

About the Center

“El Refugio is located in the town of El Progreso, just about one hour away from San Pedro Sula, the capital of Honduras,” explains Luis.

“The center has been run by a local woman, Maria Esther, ever since it began operating many years ago, after Hurricane Mitch hit this area and produced flooding and disaster. With nearly 130 children enrolled in our sponsorship program, Maria gets the help of participating parents and a former teacher to complete food distributions, enroll new students in our program, help children write letters to their sponsors, and conduct home visits.”

“The support that children receive from their sponsors covers their basic needs – shoes, clothing, food items and school supplies – which help ensure the children stay in school and continue to get an education,” says Luis.

Luis met with sponsored children and their parents during his visit to El Refugio.

“When I visited, it was noticeable that the area was developed by the local government after Hurricane Mitch and has slightly improved as far as the houses are concerned, but the neighborhood is mostly occupied by low-income families. There is a good deal of violence, gang activity, and poverty, as there are little or no opportunities for employment. Most of the parents of children in our program work daily service jobs or are construction workers with no consistent income.”

“While I was at the center, I met with most of the parents and children in the program, and all of them expressed gratitude for the support. The support they receive from Children Incorporated and our sponsors is a large contribution for the families, which is representative of the poverty in which they live,” explains Luis.

“The parents were eager to tell me how the program is essential for them, and the support is crucial for their survival and education for their children. I then had the opportunity to participate in the distribution of the monthly support, and it was incredible how much food and supplies were given for just $30 per child!”

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How do I sponsor a child in Honduras?

SPONSOR A CHILD

Shelley Callahan | February 20, 2023En Español

After leaving Costa Rica in the fall of 2022, our Director of International Programs, Luis Bourdet, traveled to Nicaragua to visit the two affiliated sites that we work with in the country.

Today, we hear from Luis about his trip to the La Recolección School, where sponsored children are provided with a safe and spacious place to get an education.

“The children are also given food to take home on the weekends, and they receive school supplies and other basic needs throughout the year as well.”

Learning about our affiliated site

“La Recolección is a semi-private school run by the Sisters of Charity in the town of Leon, about two hours away from Managua, the capital of Nicaragua. More than 800 children from low and lower middle-class families attend this school, and it has an excellent reputation in the community. Upon my visit in 2022, our volunteer coordinator discussed with me the need for upgrades and repairs at the school, but there is little money for this, as they have to pay teachers’ salaries and other expenses to run the school,” explained Luis.

“More than sixty children are currently enrolled in the Children Incorporated sponsorship program at the school, and we were told that all of them are from low-income families, mostly former members of a Nicaraguan political group, the Sandinistas, that get very little support in the community for their children’s education or for their survival.”

Sponsors making sure children are educated

Thanks to their sponsors, children who otherwise would have to attend overcrowded public schools are able to attend La Recolección.

“The Children Incorporated sponsored children have most of their school fees paid at La Recolección thanks to their sponsors, and their parents contribute a small amount so that they have the responsibility to support their children as well. The children are also given food to take home on the weekends, and they receive school supplies and other basic needs throughout the year.”

“At a meeting with the sponsored children and their parents, they expressed their gratitude for the support. The only other option for them in Leon would be to send their children to a government school, where getting a proper education is much more difficult due to overcrowding within classrooms. They are much more comfortable sending their children to the La Recolección School, which has a limit on the number of children in attendance,” said Luis.

A home for a family in need

“At the end of the day, I visited some homes with our volunteer coordinator. One of the homes of a sponsored child was made with a metal sheet roof, so we had to wait outside of the house when arriving because it was extremely hot inside. There is only a mother to support the child. The house is located in an area with a lot of crime, and the mother worries about her daughter.”

“Our volunteer coordinator told me she will check and see if a small plot can be provided by the local government, and then she will request support from our Hope In Action Program to build a house for this family,” said Luis.

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How do I sponsor a child in Nicaragua?

You can sponsor a child in Nicaragua in one of three ways: call our office at 1-800-538-5381 and speak with one of our staff members; email us at sponsorship@children-inc.org; or go online to our sponsorship portal, create an account, and search for a child in Nicaragua that is available for sponsorship.

SPONSOR A CHILD

Children Incorporated | February 5, 2023

The Philippines comprise a vast island nation in southeast Asia. This archipelago of more than 7,000 islands boasts sandy beaches, towering mountains and volcanoes, tropical rainforests and an incredible wealth of natural resources and biodiversity. Humans have called these islands home for thousands of years, predating historic records. Today, the Philippines incorporate a staggering number of languages, ethnic groups, religions and cultures. Despite its status as an emerging market, however, nearly half of all Filipinos still earn less than $2 a day. Adequate sanitation, access to healthcare and access to potable water are still daily challenges in this widely underdeveloped country, which is also prone to typhoons, earthquakes and volcanic activity.

Children in the Philippines need your help. Please consider becoming a sponsor today.

Challenges for Children in the Philippines

In the Philippines, children’s very lives and futures are at risk, as they struggle with poverty and lack of educational resources. Right now, children in Chile need your help.

More than 13 million Filipino children live below the poverty line
One-third of all children in the Philippines comes from impoverished households
Children living in poverty face multiple vulnerabilities that threaten their survival
and growth such as malnutrition, poor health, and lack of clean water and sanitation
Child poverty increases the risk of child marriage, child labor, abuse, and exploitation
of children in the Philippines

Our Work in the Philippines

Thanks to caring people like you, Children Incorporated has helped thousands of children living in poverty in the Philippines since 1964.

We work with our volunteer coordinators in local communities to provide health and nutrition, education, hygiene items, clothes, shoes, and other essentials that help children and families rise above the poverty in which they live.

Our strategy is to focus on individual children through our sponsorship program, ensuring they are receiving exactly what they need on a regular basis.

Your support makes all our work possible to help children in crisis in the Philippines.

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How do I sponsor a child in the Philippines?

SPONSOR A CHILD

SOURCES:

https://psa.gov.ph/statistics/children

https://www.unicef.org/philippines/social-policy-and-governance