They started out as a group of friends who just love volunteering. They got involved with different things like visiting orphans, cleaning up the coastline, and teaching crafts to children from troubled homes.
You could say they were really hooked on volunteering. But was it making an impact?
In 2008, one of the places they visited was He Cares foundation. They helped feed street children and made them laugh.
But then, they thought...
If one encounter with the kids was able to inspire, encourage, uplift them - what would many encounters do? What if we built relationships with them? went to their homes? knew their families and stories? helped them where they needed it most?
That's when we had a talk with the founder of He Cares Foundation, kuya Joe Dean Sola. Kuya Joe asked us if we could tutor the children from the scholarship program.
"But we are not teachers", we replied.
This did not seem to faze Joe Dean. He said, "Just befriend them, help them to stay in school."
Despite the fact that the foundation provided monthly support for the children in the program, many of them dropped out. There just wasn't enough motivation.
Enter, the (pseudo) tutors!
We come and find out what these children want to be when they grow up. Most of them want to be police (for the boys) or teachers (for the girls).
One child said that his dream was to reach... Grade 4. We asked why and he said - because that's the level his mom reached.
Many of the children see no point in going to school. They feel like they could help their parents earn a living in the here and now.
Some of them get involved with gangs and just loiter around aimlessly with their "barkada".
So the tutors are here to help keep the kids in school!
After many years of trying a lot of different ways, we have come up with this particular program wherein we primarily teach English (and practice talking with the kids) and basic Math - because we find that these are the subjects the kids are having the most difficulty with.
Since the start of the program, the children's grades have been SOARING! Less have dropped out - and they've really strived to bring their grades up up and up! Some have gone to compete in school-wide competitions and have been on their honor roll.
We're proud of the children! We know they can do even more!
With your help and with God's grace, all thing are possible!
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