Center brings hope to poor children

There’s a reason why six-year-old Nicole Crausos and 10-year-old Jonalyn Fiodo have wide smiles these days.

A community center called the Kanlungan ng Pag-asa (Center of Hope) was opened last Friday at the Zabarte Subdivision in Fairview, Quezon City that will provide medical and dental care, educational support, new clothes and shoes to children living in squatter areas in Novaliches.  

Nicole and Jonalyn are just two of the 5,000 children sponsored by the Children’s International-Manila or Abot Kamay, the operating agency of Children’s International, a US-based humanitarian organization that helps poor children all over the world.

Nicole and Julie Ann belong to families who live in dire poverty in Barangay Kaligayahan in Novaliches, Quezon City where kids like them often go hungry. They wear tattered garments, lack shoes and often don’t go to school because their families cannot afford it. There is also no stable support system to nurture the children’s talents and their abilities are lost in the chaos of daily survival. 

For the past 16 years, Abot Kamay has been helping these kids and implementing a sponsorship program for over 23,000 poor children in depressed communities in Bulacan, Caloocan City and Quezon City.

The Center of Hope is the 10th community center in the country and by far, the biggest and most modern, said Cynthia Tiotuyco, agency director of Children’s International.

Tiotuyco added that the center would provide children with medical and dental services in 11 communities in Barangay Kaligayahan, including Junji, Zabarte, Rivera, Looban, San Diego, Franville III, Mal. Luisa, Tawid Sapa, Maligaya, Sampalocan and Old Camarin. 

She said they chose the place because of the high incidence of poverty in Barangay Kaligayahan.

"At least now, the children don’t have to spend so much in transportation fare when going to our center in Caloocan. This is much nearer to their houses," Tiotuyco said.

The Center of Hope is a two-story, 1,079-square meter facility that has a feeding room, a library, pharmacy, computer center, and outdoor play area. 

"The center also houses creative learning areas with the end-goal of re-orienting them about good old values and strengthening income-generating skills," Tiotuyco said.

She said the programs are designed to help meet many of the children’s most urgent and basic needs and give them tools to overcome the cycle of poverty.

Cherry Lumanglas, Abot Kamay’s project officer, said malnourished kids are given hot meals thrice a week. The center also conducts nutrition education for the kids’ families every Saturday. On top of these, they also receive regular medical and dental care, free medicines, and health and hygiene education.

The center also conducts organized activities that nurture the artistic and athletic skills of the children "so that they can work to create positive changes in their lives and be agents of hope."

"At the end of the day, the center brings not just a promise of a better day but a better future," Tiotuyco said.

The center’s blessing coincided with the 16th founding anniversary of the Children-International Manila and the National Children’s Month.

"For the last 16 years since its start-up, the Manila agency has been making a world of difference in the lives of its beneficiaries," Tiotuyco said.

Helping children rise above poverty

At the inauguration last Friday, Phillip Flores, head of the board of trustees of CI-Manila, thanked the sponsors for making the Center of Hope a reality.

He said helping the children rise above their poverty always requires a concerted effort and urged everyone to do their share in uplifting the lives of poor children.

"I am positive that for as long as there are people who are willing to help and sacrifice, the Center of Hope will continue to flourish. We have a big role in helping these children fulfill their dreams," Flores said.

"I hope the Center becomes an instrument to help the kids realize their dreams," he added.

Joy Belmonte-Alimurong, who was one of the guests, also urged everyone to continue supporting and helping the children achieve a better life.

"The cause of children has always been close to my heart and I’m happy that this center is helping the children achieve their full potential and raise their self-esteem. I believe that world peace can be achieved through the elimination of poverty. I urge everyone to continue the gift of life," Alimurong said.

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) reported that six million children under the age of five die as a result of hunger and malnutrition every year.