On Dec. 19, 2023 the Academy of World Healing Foundation (AWH) invited the indigent children of Camp Hope in Brgy. Sicat, Alfonso for a memorable Christmas event at its H.Q. The event was attended by more than 50 children accompanied by parents and 20 teens. Attendees were provided puto (steamed cake made with rice flour) and each child received multiple toys. While PP Lito led the children in Christmas songs and games P100 was also given to the teens and parents for the children with the children receiving coins.
RIMM (Rotary Club of Multinational Manila) President Raymund, Past Presidents Klaus, Lito and Don of the Rotary Club of Geelong Central, Australia, District Secretary Marni, RIMM Member, Gina – Head of the Municipal Social Welfare and Development (MSWD) of Alfonso, President Cherry of the Rotary Club of Pandacan, Manila also participated at the event.
On Dec. 18, 2023 the Academy of World Healing Foundation (AWH) and Rotary International Multinational Manila (RIMM) teamed up with the Rotary Club of Tondo and its President Vhel in hosting a Christmas Party at the Tondo High School in support of its students. AWH and RIMM donated 100 bags of 5kg rice and P150 cash assistance to almost 100 indigent students during the event.
As is the tradition in Hawaii as stated by Klaus, everyone joined hands in a big circle at the conclusion of the event and stated hopefully “Until we all meet again”.
On Dec. 14, 2023 AWH co-sponsored the Christmas event of a farming community in Barangay Tartaria, Silang, Cavite with Rotary International Multinational Manila (RIMM).
Our board member Lito leading the participants in song, dance, and games, 100 bags of 5kg rice each were distributed to 100 indigent families and assorted toys were handed out to the children.
Lito is continuing to support 200 indigent families in Barangay Tartaria, Silang who have been tilling the land to growing crops as their livelihood and are fighting to gain title to at least part of the land that they have farmed for many generations.
On Dec. 15, 2023 Raymund of the Academy of World Healing Foundation (AWH) attended the Christmas event of The Home of the 100th Sheep Foundation in Paliparan, Dasmarinas, Cavite. The foundation helps resettled street families from Manila.
AWH donated P15,000 for the meals of the 80 daycare pupils who enjoyed fried chicken, spaghetti and orange juice.
With additional contributions from Past President Don of the Rotary Club of Geelong Central, Australia and Rotary International Multinational Manila, 5 bags of rice (5kg each) were donated to the daycare center for their feeding program as well as educational toys and own toys for each of the 80 daycare pupils.
On Dec. 12, 2023 Klaus, Raymund and Lito of the Academy of World Healing Foundation (AWH) and Past President Don of the Rotary Club of Geelong Central, Australia attended the Christmas event of the Fishgate Foundation in Alfonso, Cavite.
AWH distributed 27 bags of 5 kg rice each to indigent families and volunteers of the Fishgate Foundation, various educational toys to its daycare as well as toys to 16 indigent daycare pupils with RIMM presidents assisting with the distribution.
The toy contributions were supported by Past President Don and Rotary International Multinational Manila.
Ken Yamamoto visited Camp Hope, our neighbor squatter camp, for the 3rd time and distributed 5 kg each out of 140 kg of rice to 28 families. The residents of Camp Hope live on selling “taho” (a Filipino snack made of silken tofu). As always, we were surrounded by many children. They were given biscuits and candies.
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Gina, the head of the Municipal Social Welfare and Development (MSWD) in Alfonso, Cavite sought the assistance of the Academy of World Healing Foundation (AWH) for Loribel, a single mother of 2 young daughters for their basic needs residing in Luksuhin Ilaya, Alfonso.
On June 7, 2023 AWH along with Gina’s staff distributed rice, assorted canned goods, hygiene products, laundry products and noodles to the older daughter of Loribel who was left alone in their rented small house when we arrived. Loribel was at work at the Universal Rocks in Tagaytay. Loribel was with her youngest daughter there.
The youngest daughter of Loribel was raped by her father who is now in prison.
Gina’s staff called Loribel on her mobile phone and she thanked AWH for the assistance.
Academy of World Healing Foundation (AWH) in conjunction with the Rotary Club of Multinational Manila (RIMM) conducted a Christmas giving events on December 22, 2022 for the total of 141 indigent families and their children (4 to 8 years old) at three different locations. In the morning the venue was in Taywanak Ibaba. In the afternoon, one event was held at Luksuhin Ibaba for the residents of Usting 1 and 2, Camp Hope (Barangay Sicat) and a small event was for 8 families in Barangay Palumlum. All of these places are in Alfonso, Cavite.
The main livelihood of the indigent camps (Usting 1, 2 and Camp Hope) are selling balot (incubated duck egg), taho (a sweet snack made with soft tofu, sweet syrup and tapioca balls). Many fathers of these indigent families selected for the events are construction workers.
Each indigent family received 2 bags of rice (10 kg/family). We prepared a total of 300 bags (1.5 tons) of rice, including allotments for CICL (Children In Conflict with The Law) and the staff.
AWH member Casey went to Divisoria, Metro Manila and bought 150 backpacks for students, 300 pairs of slippers for children and more than 1,300 toys in different varieties.
The total cost spent for the events was nearly P120,000.
AWH board member Lito Mondejar, Gina of the Municipality of Social Welfare and Development of Alfonso (MSWD). Anna of the Commission on Population (POPCOM), the Barangay captains, as well as several members of the Alfonso Women’s Council (AWC) joined the events. We invited 3 CICL in custody of MSWD to assist the events, so they would get involved in serving the community.
While we tried to make children happy, it was not our intention to encourage the families making more babies. Anna of POPCOM shared information on responsible parenthood and family planning to the mothers who have basically not had such education due to poverty.
The children were excited over their assorted toys and backpacks and sang Christmas songs.
Updates on December 25, 2022
Giving toys to children continued on the Christmas Day.
There were a number of toys still left from the preceded events. So we have decided to distribute them to any children passing by near our property.
Small children gathered to receive the toys, and elder children received 20 peso bills.
Updates on December 29, 2022
AWH also made a financial donation to barangay Sicat where our facility is located and participated in the Christmas event held on December 29, 2022, bringing used clothes, shoes and more toys to give away.
The barangay provided meals for all the participated residents and entertained them with dancing, games and raffles for presents.
On March 9, 2022, a Municipal Councilor of Alfonso, Carol invited AWH to visit an indigent single mother of 6 children residing in Marahan 1, Alfonso, Cavite. Merly Montealto, 39 years old is renting a shanty near the creek at PHP500 (approx. $10)/month. She makes a meager income as a manicurist. She said that sometimes there is no income at all in a day. She has an unpaid rental balance of about P2,500 due to the pandemic. AWH donated a bag of rice and assorted canned goods. Four of her children reside with her who are in elementary and high school. The other 2 children are staying with her sister. She has a 4 months old baby from her boyfriend who occasionally drops by her shanty. She did not have enough money to pay for a contraceptive measure and she got pregnant. She has agreed to undergo ligation to prevent further unwanted pregnancy. At the moment she is taking an injectable costing P250 per shot where its effect will expire sometime in May. Councilor Carol will coordinate with Dr. Sargento about her ligation. Despite their living conditions she has kept her place clean and is trying her best to keep her children healthy and observe good hygiene. Her children opened up their toys sent through the recent Balikbayan box from AWH members with such excitement. Several germicidal bath soaps were also given which were donated by Elai Arevalo.
The Academy of World Healing Foundation (AWH), working hands-in-hands with Rotary International Multinational Manila (RIMM), conducted Christmas giving events over a two day span on December 28 and 29, 2021, for indigent families in 4 barangays (villages) in Alfonso, Cavite, having purchased vitally needed food supplies at a cost of P165,000.
In addition, two (2) large Balikbayan boxes filled with good quality used clothing donated by AWH ‘s Japanese guests before the pandemic were also distributed to Barangay Kaysuyo and Barangay Pajo to the most in need.
RIMM conducted “Responsible Parenthood” events during the Christmas giving events as part of its family planning programs.
We herewith gratefully acknowledge the support of our funding member Dr. Miki Kanaji, who personally donated P60,000 for the events.
There were more than 332 indigent families registered in the master lists of the 4 barangays that attended the 2-days event. More than 637 bags of rice and assorted canned products (corned beef, pork meatloaf, beef meatloaf, sausage and tuna) were distributed to the indigent families.
Each family with more than 8 children received as much as 6 bags of rice. They said rice is an important food supply to have in the house even without the canned goods. Rice is the primary staple food in the Philippines.
In addition there were 4 minors under the “Children In Conflict with the Law” (CICL) program who also received sacks of rice and assorted canned goods. These minors are under the custody of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), and with our assistance, are looking to better themselves.
Indigent communities in “Squatter camps” such as Usting 1, Usting 2, C-5 in Barangay Luksuhin Ibaba and Camp Hope in Barangay Sicat are supported by RIMM and AWH not only during the yearly Christmas giving activities but also year-round. The young children of the 4 camps again joyfully participated in several children Christmas party games hosted by Honorary RIMM Member Jun Baurile who distributed P20 bills along with stuffed toys donated by past president Betty Vicedo of RIMM. Their parents mainly sell “balot” (a steamed fertilized duck egg and “taho” (a classic sweet snack in the Philippines made with silken tofu, sago or tapioca pearls, and a simple brown sugar syrup) as their primary source of income. The families of these 4 camps migrated from the Samar province in the Visayas to look for better opportunities for their families.
