MABUHAY! or Welcome!
Thank you for visiting For the Kids. For the Kids was created as a platform to tell the story, raise awareness and provide support for the Minoro Project. Thank you to all the donors who have given to the project in the past–it is because of YOU we were inspired to create this page in hopes of creating an even bigger impact. It is our hopes that this platform allows our followers to feel more engaged and make it easier to receive updates on projects.
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Located in San Jose, Camarines Sur, Philippines and established in 1986 is Minoro Elementary. The village of San Jose is the birthplace of my grandma (my mother Rena Obert’s mother), Mary Alvarez. A lot of family history originates from San Jose which is what drives the passion for the Minoro Project. With an attendance record of 117 students grade K-5, Minoro Elementary is led by Mr. Artemio P. Pahingalo and his team.
A recent site visit to Minoro Elementary School in November 2018 provided a valuable opportunity for us to engage with staff and students and really discover what their needs are. The energy the kids had was contagious! But it was the warm welcome from Administration that made you feel like you were right at home. One thing is for certain–The Filipino people are friendly, warm and inviting, and will ALWAYS make sure you EAT! 🙂 They have a deep connection with their people, their country, and have a way of making you feel like you belong. Shown below are photos of some of the beautiful kids and their school grounds.
After much observation and conversation with Administration, it was apparent that resources at Minoro were scarce, HOWEVER the smiles on the kids faces and boisterous laughter would lead you to believe otherwise!
The first thing I noticed when I arrived at Minoro was the ball they were throwing around, playing what seemed like a game of keep away or hot potato. Comprised of many grocery bags tightly wound and slightly weighted was their substitution for a ball. The fun and recreational activity this creation produced was amazing! While Minoro has many other needs that serve a much higher priority, this was a personal high priority for me, being a parks and recreation professional (real life Leslie Knope).
Located in a rather remote village of San Jose, resources as one would imagine, are scarce. Minoro has a big need for school supplies from pencils, crayons, paper, scissors, glue, markers, to books for learning and equipment for recreation and physical activity. English is taught at an early age in the Philippines and on the chalkboards we saw the beginning stages of learning letters and sight words. A small supply of pencils like the one shown below is shared amongst students.
Aside from school supplies, Minoro Elementary has a lack of table and chairs to accommodate the younger students (K-1st). The current tables and chairs (shown below) are in poor condition and in need of replacement. I can assure you that this did NOT keep the kids from being excited to learn!
With resources and infrastructure lacking in the area it makes having access for things such as at utilities and plumbing extremely hard. Within the first few minutes of being at Minoro, I saw students using the restroom openly on the school grounds. After speaking with Administration we learned that due to lack of resources and funds…unfortunately there are no restrooms for the students, just one outhouse for Administration to use. This immediately became high on our priority list of projects. Imagine yourself as a kid in school, with no proper access to a restroom or privacy for your business? I know I can’t.
At the conclusion of our visits, it was apparent that it would not be our last. We’ve identifited 3 “projects” for 2019 that we feel we can help Minoro Elementary accomplish. School supplies for the 2019 school year, new table and chairs for the younger students, and installation of at least 1 (ideally 2, one for boys and girls) outhouses that will be utilized as restrooms. I’ll outline each project separately in the “BLOG” section.
We are incredibly lucky to live in a country where freedom and opportunity is flourishing, I know I take that for granted more often than not. I’ve been fortunate to travel this big and beautiful world, but I’ve also seen it firsthand, my mom having immigrated from the Philippines to USA for a better life and for opportunity, for possibility. The way she talks about this country makes me proud. I’ve seen her struggle, and I’ve learned her strength. (Pictured below: My mom doing a site visit at Minoro).
For my mom and I, we are passionate about this project and all the good it will do for the people of this community, especially the youth. We have been blessed with more than I think we ever dreamed of and want to share that with others! The purpose of this blog is to serve as a platform for those who have already been supporting this (and other projects my mom has in the Philippines), as an avenue to see updates on the projects and to keep up/ maybe even get to know the beautiful students and people, to bring awareness, and to learn how you can help.
Thank you for visiting our page! I’m excited about this project and can’t wait to see what 2019 brings.
For the Kids 