At Ameligan Island Elementary School

Loading school supplies onto a banca

It was in late August when we visited Ameligan Island Elementary School in Pontevedra. The town of Pontevedra is about 35 minutes by car from Roxas City and another 20 minutes by banca along the Panay River. I wasn't prepared for the open seating. Thank goodness my friend brought an umbrella to protect us from the scorching heat. The Principal, Amelita Ramos Bolaño, greeted us as we got off the narrow banca onto the shore.

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We distributed notebooks, pens and pencils to about 260 students from Kindergarten to 6th grade. After the school supplies were given to the kids, we had a spelling contest at every class so the children could earn prizes like pencil cases, crayons, pencil sharpeners and scissors. We also had fun reciting and singing nursery rhymes.

Thank you to all our generous donors especially Nieva Burdick, Gary Steele, Leda Albar, Teresa Smith and Ditas Fuentes. We couldn't have done it without your help. Many thanks also to Filomena Beluso who made all the arrangements so we could reach out to the children at Ameligan Elementary School.

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Images by Charie