The Carpenter’s Vision, Inc.
Works To Give Poor Children in the
Philippines
Equal Opportunity In Life
When asked what would she be when she
grows up, this 6-year old girl answers without hesitation, “I will be a
nurse.” Indeed, she may well be a nurse when she grows up but unless she
gets to learn what is called the “3 Rs” (“riting”, “reading” and “’rithmetic”),
in a pre-school educational facility, she will not even get to Grade 1
in the elementary grades.
The
competition for education in the Philippines now has gotten to a point
where pre-school educational facilities that produce 6-year olds that
are already proficient in reading, writing and arithmetic have become
the “official” source of pupils that are acceptable for Grade 1
enrolment. Children of indigent parents that have not gone through
pre-school training find themselves so inferior, compared to their
economically privileged classmates that are already proficient in
reading, writing and in computing with numbers, that elementary grade
schools are not inclined to enroll children that did not have pre-school
training.
Pre-school training does not come cheap.
Private schools charge at least 1,500 Phil. Pesos (US$36) per month.
While there are government pre-school facilities that do not charge
tuition fees, these often suffer from lack of teachers, lack of teaching
materials and poor skills training quality.
The
amount of income that draws the poverty line in the Philippines is about
11,000 Pesos (US$262) per month. About 92% of the population lives below
that poverty line, with many having an income as low as 3,000 pesos
(US$71) per month or even less. A very basic meal consisting of one cup
rice, a fish, and a small bowl of vegetable soup may cost around 15
pesos per person per meal. A family of five, therefore, must spend about
225 pesos (US$5) daily just to eat three meals a day. That is 6,750
pesos (US$161) per month needed just for food alone.
Hardest hit by this disparity in the
cost of food and level of income are those that rely on the giving of
low-paid personal services, such as tricycle (bicycle with side cars)
transport drivers. They take home less than 90 pesos (US$2.00) daily.
Not enough amount to buy food, much less pay for the education of their
children.
The Carpenter’s Vision, Inc. (CVI) is a
non-stock non-profit government registered association of social workers
who pool their personal funds to operate and maintain a House of
Learning for children of indigent parents who cannot afford to send
their children to pre-school facilities.
Clothing
is a problem to the children, so they are provided school uniform. This
boosts their self-esteem and encourages them to attend their classes.
Meals at home before school is a doubtful matter, so nutritious
“non-junk” food is cooked in the school and served to them. They are
provided learning materials that are bought by the school or gathered
from donations. Teachers are paid, although the teaching staff more
often than not has to donate their salary back to the school to buy
needed educational materials, pay rent and keep the school operating.
Social work is a low-income profession
in the Philippines
and at this point the operation of CVI remains dependent on what the
social workers can spare out of their meager salaries from their own
respective jobs. The continuing operation of CVI, therefore, is
constantly in a shaky condition. Currently it can enroll only ten
indigent students because of its financial limitations, but many are
waiting to be accommodated.
To be effective CVI has to meet the
educational needs of the children through a holistic net of programs.
Other than the development of the children’s skills in writing, reading
and arithmetic, development programs for parents such as,
entrepeneurship, population control, responsible parenting, hygiene and
sanitation, positive values, nutrition and spiritual needs has to be
developed and given through sets of learning processes..
While the willingness of the CVI social
workers to support the school for indigent children continues, their own
financial limitations prevents the school from optimizing the
effectiveness of its ministry and even puts the continued operation of
the school in a very insecure condition. When the members of the CVI
board met recently to assess the school situation they determined that
there is wisdom at this point to solicit assistance from outside
sources.
Donations received by CVI will be
subjected to strict auditing procedures. The written details of the
auditing procedure and the mechanism of funds transfer may be requested
by a donor. Please course all inquiries through the World Wide
Orphanages, or email to the CVI Executive Director, Ms. Vily P. Gargoles
at
carpentersvision@gmail.com
This publication for solicitation of
assistance has been approved by the CVI Board of Trustees. More
information about CVI as an organization will be provided to interested
parties.
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