BalayniCharie Report for June 2019 - Sept. 2019

Canuto Fuentes Elementary School

The start of the 2019-2020 school year in the Philippines was a frenzy of preparations for BalayniCharie. We reached out to 15 schools and communities in Capiz beginning in June. BalayniCharie is celebrating its 14th year of giving school supplies to elementary school students in Capiz, thanks to our generous sponsors. We are excited to celebrate our 15th year of service to the Capiz community in 2020. 

Panfilo Mendoza Elementary School

These were the schools we visited:

1. Balaring Elementary School - Ivisan - June 4, 2019
2. Sinandigan Elem School - Sigma - June 7, 2019
3. Cabugao Elem School - Panitan - June 10, 2019
4. Agbatuan Elem School - Dumarao - June 13, 2019
5. Alipaciawan Elem School - Dumarao - June 13, 2019
6. Madulano Elem School - President Roxas - June 20, 2019
7. Valentin Punsalan Elem School - Pilar - July 1, 2019
8. Canuto Fuentes Elem School - Sibaguan - July 12, 2019
9. Panfilo Mendoza Elem School - Ivisan - August 6, 2019
10. Culasi Day Care Center - August 7, 2019
11. Carida Elem School - Tapaz - August 15, 2019

Culasi Day Care Center

List of communities we visited:

Story telling at Gawad Kalinga with Christian George Francisco Acevedo

1. Gawad Kalinga (GK) - Dinginan - June 23, 2019
2. Ati and Panay Bukidnon Communities - Dumarao - July 6,  2019
3. Juvenile Crisis Center - Roxas City - Sept. 5, 2019

Books from Amy and Nathan of California 
(photo courtesy of Abner Abs)

Book Donation:

1. Duluan Elementary School - Maayon - June 22, 2019

Shoes from Smiley and Kai Rice and Shoes Program

Many thanks to all our sponsors who made these school supplies distribution possible: Gary and Nancy Steele, Dr. Lilia Chung, Diane and Mon Acas, Smiley and Kai Rice and Shoes Program, Amy and Nathan for the book donation, and all our event coordinators especially Clara Salame, TinTin Alvarez, Dolly Buday, Quitty Gadian, Christian George Francisco Acevedo, Ryan de la Luna and all the principals and teachers for the smooth operation of these distributions. 

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Images by  BalayniCharie Foundation 

School Year 2017-2018 Report

You can make a difference

These are the schools where BalayniCharie distributed school supplies for the school year 2017-2018.

September 18, 2017
Linambasan Elementary School, Jamindan - 238 children
Aglibacao Primary School, Jamindan - 31 children

October 4, 2017
San Julian Elementary School in Tapaz - 165 children
Sponsored by Aimee, Michael and Nathan of California
Agpalili Primary School - 50 children

October 10, 2017
Antonio Belo Elementary School in Panitan  - 407 students

November 2017

Pawa Elementary School in Panay - 318 children

February 2018
Doña Fructuosa Elementary School in Sigma - 120 children

March 2018
Cogon Elementary School in Sigma - 179 students
Sponsored by Rudynelia Valencia

Thank you to all our sponsors: Monique Albar Jen Rice and Shoes Program, Rudynelia Valencia, Aimee, Michael and Nathan of California.

If you would like to donate school supplies, please contact BalayniCharie at balaynicharie@gmail.com. Thank you.

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Images by balaynicharie

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

Merry Christmas 2013

2013 was a busy year for Balay ni Charie. More than 750 children were given school supplies in Tapaz, Cuartero, Duyoc, and Culasi Day Care Center plus 20 football players from the Football Academy in Dao, Capiz.  

Culasi Day Care Center, Roxas City

Shortly after our distribution in Duyoc, Dao last October, super typhoon Haiyan made landfall on Panay island and left devastation in its wake. Most schools in Capiz were damaged and the kids need to go back to school but on top of losing their classrooms, they've also lost their school supplies which were either swept away or soaked by torrential rains and a flooded countryside. 

We're preparing to distribute more school supplies in late January 2014 to 1,500 grade school students in Capiz. Wish we could reach out to more kids and we could with your help. Please email travelswithcharie@gmail.com if you would like to help.

Many thanks to the following for their generous contributions for the 2014 distribution in Capiz: Terri Smith, Nieva Burdick, Rose Driscoll and Leda Albar. 

Have a Merry Christmas! 

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Garcia Elementary School and San Antonio Elementary School

Garcia Elementary School students in Tapaz, Capiz

Balay ni Charie Foundation is a grassroots organization I created in 2006 that provides school supplies to children in Capiz, Philippines. On its first year, 20 children from Conrado Barrios Elementary School in Roxas City received school supplies. With the support of family, friends, and another charitable group, Balay ni Charie now distributes school provisions to several hundred grade school children in various towns in Capiz.

Students at San Antonio Elementary School in Cuartero, Capiz

This year, we visited the schools of Garcia Elementary in Tapaz, Capiz where 146 children received notebooks, pens and pencils. We also gave school supplies to 220 students at San Antonio Elementary School in Cuartero, Capiz.

 The road to San Antonio Elementary School

It is not easy to get to some of these schools. We needed a 4 x 4 to take us to the hinterlands of Cuartero because the roads were deeply potholed and impassable from recent rains. Two years ago, we had to wait several days before we could distribute at a school in Dao because the roads were flooded. These are some of the conditions we face when going to these schools but the big smile on a child’s face when he or she receives the school supplies is the most satisfying reward.

Thank you Esther and Bing Arceño for lending me your car and Bing for driving me to these schools so I can reach out to the children in Capiz. And many thanks to Fr. Boy Distura for rescuing us from the rut and mud and for feeding us.  In Tapaz, I wish to thank Kitty Gadian who arranged our visit to Garcia Elementary and to Jacque Conlu who made me aware of the great need for school materials at Garcia.

Balay ni Charie is planning more school supply distributions in 2013.

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Images by Charie