Balay ni Charie is now on its 19th year

It seems only yesterday when we started giving school supplies to the children in Capiz. In the beginning, we gave school supplies to 20 children at Conrado Barrios Elementary School in Roxas City. The following year we gave the entire first grade class and then both the first and second grades the succeeding year until we finally had the funds to give the entire school. Big thanks to our donors who have made this journey possible. Now we’re on the eve of our 20th anniversary. How exciting is that! 

In early 2025, we visited six schools and here they are: 

Catmon Elementary School, Panitan, Capiz, February 12, 2025

Donor: Leda Albar

Cabungahan Elementary School, Maayon, Capiz, February 18, 2025

Donor: Connie Collo, Odette Aquitania Ricasa

Culasi Elementary School, Sapian, Capiz, February 26, 2025

Donor: Florence Barredo Panes

Balaring Elementary School, Ivisan, Capiz, March 11, 2025

Donor: Smiley and Kai Shies Program

Nipa Day Care, Roxas City, March 12, 2025

Donor: Nieva Q. Burdick

Tugas Elementary School, Mambusao, Capiz, March 18, 2025

Donor: Selma Templanza, Rose Driscoll (Rose Driscoll made a special quilt and donated it as a prize to raise funds for BalayniCharie).

Big thanks to Diane Acas for the special backpacks she donated which we gave to a few of the children whose names were drawn from a hat by their teachers. The winners were so pleased with the backpacks. We are grateful to all our donors who made the children very happy and well prepared to tackle their schoolwork.

If you would like to donate to our school supplies program or would like your school to receive school supplies, please contact balaynicharie@gmail.com. The elementary school must be located in Capiz, Philippines.

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Images by TravelswithCharie

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

February 2014 Activities

First Grade classroom, Agsilab Elem. School

February was a hectic month for Balay ni Charie. We distributed school supplies in four elementary schools in Capiz. Our first stop was in Sapian at Agsilab Elementary School. 300 students received notebooks, pens and pencils from Balay ni Charie. At Agsilab, we saw first hand the damages wrought by super typhoon Haiyan/Yolanda. In one building, three different grades had to share the same room. Blackboards were used to separate one class from the other. The ceiling was gouged out. In another classroom, a red plastic tarp keeps the children dry from the rains. The kindergarten and day care kids were installed at the barangay hall across the street as there were no classrooms available for them. The good news is that all the children were able to continue with their studies. And maybe the buildings will be repaired during the summer break.

Agsilab Elementary School

Our next stop was at Agoho Elementary School in Pan-ay which is right on the beach. It has the most beautiful setting of all the schools but vulnerable to storm surges and flooding. I would have a hard time concentrating on learning anything if I were one of the students here because I would probably be gazing out the window or be distracted by the calming sounds of the sea. 290 children received school supplies at this school. We happily observed the work on the roofs of the buildings. Fortunately, the school received much needed help for repairs from a Christian group from Texas, USA.

Agoho Elementary School

Nieva Burdick and her friends and family sent a generous contribution of school supplies to Balay ni Charie. She shipped these supplies and t-shirts from New York in December 2013 and it was delivered in Roxas City in February 2014. This helped us immensely so we could reach out to two more schools - Malonoy Elementary School and Ilas Norte, both in Dao, Capiz. I was quite impressed with how the Principal, the teachers and the parents of the students at Malonoy Elementary School worked together to make all the necessary repairs to the classrooms damaged by the typhoon. What a herculean effort on their part to pick up the pieces and put everything back together in record time! Bravo!

Malonoy Elementary School

The sixth grade kids at Ilas Norte Elementary School received t-shirts and they were so excited to wear them. Here they are showing off their new tees.

Students at Ilas Norte Elementary School 

About 204 students in Malonoy and 295 schoolchildren at Ilas Norte Elementary School received school supplies. These distributions totaling 1,027 grade school students in Capiz were much needed replenishments after the super typhoon claimed all of the children's books and supplies. As Balay ni Charie, a grassroots foundation, enters its 9th year of service to the children of Capiz, it is grateful to all its generous supporters whose invaluable contributions allow it to reach out to more schools in the community.

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Images byBalayniCharie and TravelswithCharie