"We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give." Winston Churchill

Tuesday, October 18, 2016

Our work continues - 11th year


Balaring Elementary School
We visited Balaring Elementary School in July 2016. It's a long ride to the school through rough roads but the children's anticipation of our arrival and their happy faces when they received the school supplies were enough to say it was all worth it.  Most of the schools we visit are far from the town center and often the roads are not paved at all. We rent a multicab which  looks like a small jeepney and has a rebuilt motor. I have to say it holds up well in these roads. And we've been to so many schools using this multicab.

Day Care Center in  Pontevedra*
Our work continues even while away from Capiz. Close friends of mine, Lory and Otay del Rosario distributed the school supplies to about 40 kids in two day care centers in Pontevedra on behalf of BalayniCharie in August. *This image was taken by Gil BulaqueƱa who was instrumental in making arrangements for this visit.

Ameligan Elementary School
We went to Ameligan on August 30th by motorized pumpboat. The school is on an island and we luckily rode a covered pumpboat. It was tremendously hot and at the end of the afternoon, it started to rain. About 230 students received school supplies from BalayniCharie and rice from the Rice and Shoes Program of Monique Albar-Jen. A few of the students received a pair of shoes each from the aforesaid program. Many thanks to the Rice and Shoes Program for providing rice and shoes to these kids.

Sibaguan Elementary School
The distribution of school supplies to some 400 schoolchildren in Sibaguan was sponsored in part by Dr. Lilia Chung. We are grateful to Dr. Chung for her donation because it allows us to continue with our work in providing the tools these kids need to succeed with their studies.

Rice and Shoes Program
The first time I visited Malonoy Elementary School was right after the super typhoon, Yolanda, ravaged the province in 2013. I remember how the teachers and the community worked together to repair the damages wrought by Yolanda. I was glad BalayniCharie could revisit the school and give the kids not only school supplies but rice (to randomly selected grades) and shoes for the kids who badly needed them. It was a pleasure to do our Q&A with the students who were quick in giving correct answers to our Math, Spelling and Philippine culture questions for which they received prizes. 

Teachers and Principal at Malonoy Elementary School 
There are 238 students in Malonoy. We visited them on September 13th. Here are the dedicated teachers at Malonoy Elementary School together with their Principal, Delia Apolinario. 

Lawis Day Care
It's been awhile since we dropped in at Lawis day care center. But here are some of the kids and some of the moms. There are two sessions, one in the morning and another in the afternoon.  There were two day care centers in Baybay and Culasi which we visited and we drove around to find the other centers but they were closed that day for various reasons. 

It's heartwarming to note that BalayniCharie has been giving school supplies to grade schools in Capiz for 11 years. We are grateful to all the generous donors and we welcome the contributions of the Rice and Shoes Program as we work hand in hand to reach out to the schoolchildren in Capiz.

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Images by BalayniCharie except where indicated



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