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.

*  *  *

Images byBalayniCharie and 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! 

*   *   *

Post Typhoon Haiyan Report

Many schools in Capiz were ravaged recently by super typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda). More than 150,000 families were displaced, particularly those living in the coastal areas.  The children are just now returning to school after nearly three weeks since Haiyan made landfall in Capiz on November 8th. Quite a few schools were leveled or lost their roofs and textbooks were either waterlogged or swept by floodwaters.

Don Nicanor Escutin Elementary School students

I was in Duyoc, Dao last October where I distributed school supplies to 350 children at the Don Nicanor Escutin Memorial School which is in the middle of rice fields. Dao was inundated after heavy rainfall which followed 195mph winds. Ilas Norte Elementary School, also in Dao, where I gave school supplies in 2009 and 2011, was devastated. The picture below is reposted from Capiz Press Bureau and shows the extent of damage to classrooms and other buildings. 

Ilas Norte Elementary School

Photo by the Social Doctor @DocBIENevolent

As posted by Capiz Press Bureau on Facebook

There's a great need for school supplies to help the kids go back to school. If you would like to help, please contact balaynicharie@gmail.com.  Or you may donate to World Food Program at https://www.wfp.org/donate/typhoon-philippines-b.

Here's an account of the state of schools in Capiz. The title of this article says it all - Empty School Chairs Sign of Tragedy.  http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/530607/empty-school-chairs-sign-of-tragedy

*  *  *