Happy New Year!

Linambasan Elementary School in Jamindan

I am very happy to report that Balay ni Charie will be celebrating its 10th year of giving school supplies to the children of Capiz this year, 2015. Last year was a banner year for Balay ni Charie. Over 2000 students in grade schools in the towns of Agoho, Dao, Jamindan, Sapian, Tapaz, and Roxas City were given school supplies.

These are the schools where we distributed school supplies in 2014:

Agsilab Elementary Schol in Sapian

Malonoy Elem. School in Dao

Ilas Norte Elem. School in Dao

Lacaron Elemtary School in Dao

Garcia Elem. School in Tapaz

Carida Elem. School in Tapaz (limited to 3 classes)

Agoho Elem. School in Pan-ay

Linambasan Elem. School in Jamindan

Francisco Vacaro Elem. School in Jamindan

Conrado Barrios Elem. School in Roxas City (limited to 5th and 6th grades)

Central Elem. School in Dao (limited to box of 400 pencils)

Members of Dao Freedom Football Academy (20 Students)

Garcia Elementary School in Tapaz

We hope to reach as many number of students if not more in 2015. Students receive notebooks, pens and pencils. We also have contests for the kids so they can earn backpacks, toys, coloring books and crayons, t-shirts and pencil cases. These contests consist of questions in spelling, math or history. The kids love this Q&A portion and they often swoon when a classmate receives a prize. 

Francisco Vacaro Elementary School in Barangay Arambulong

We're grateful for the generosity of friends and family. We are able to spread our wings because of them. If you wish to help Balay ni Charie, please email me at ralbar@yahoo.com. 

Conrado Barrios Elem. School, Roxas City

For it is in giving that we receive.  St. Francis of Assisi

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Images by TravelswithCharie

Merry Christmas

2014 was a fruitful year for Balay ni Charie. We reached out to 11 elementary schools in Capiz including Roxas City, Sapian, Dao, Tapaz and Pan-ay. Many thanks to our generous supporters. We are excited to celebrate our 10th year of giving school supplies to schoolchildren in Capiz in 2015.

Wishing all of you the blessings of peace, love and joy this Christmas and throughout the new year.

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Image by TravelswithCharie

At Lacaron Elementary School

Lacaron Elementary School

Continuing with our school distribution program, we went to Lacaron Elementary School in Dao, Capiz last July and reached out to approximately 240 children. The last time we were in Lacaron was in December 2011. It was really nice to be able to revisit Lacaron this year. 

Typical of July weather, it was a hot and humid day and we stayed outdoors under the UNICEF donated tent classroom. With the school principal, Milagros Jore Derayo, we gave each of the children notebooks, pens and pencils. Some kids took home prizes like crayons, toys, pencil cases, coloring books and more school supplies for giving the correct answer to our math, spelling and history questions. Here are the young students raising their hands to answer a particular question we posed to them.

The little ones are sometimes shy but generally eager to answer our questions. They are always excited to receive a prize. Everyone gets involved including teachers and parents who prod their children along to raise their hand and answer our questions.

Balay ni Charie is now on its 9th year and we are really excited as we get closer to our 10th year. A milestone for us! We hope to reach many more schools in the province of Capiz between now and 2015.

We thank our generous donors - Bock Loo, Nieva Burdick, Leda Albar, Monike Alberjeun, Ray Wong, Deborah Bartens, Rose Driscoll and many others who have helped us since our early years. We hope there will be more people who will join us in giving the children the tools they need to succed in school.

I am encouraged by the word inscribed on the t-shirt of the boy in the center of the photo. It says: NEVER GIVE UP. That about sums it all up. 

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Images by TravelswithCharie