Helping Land, Tondo, Manila. I have been going to this place from time to time since 2015 by joining any of the Project Pearls' activity in the area. I also organized an outreach to this place sponsored by us batch mates from elementary and high school. The story of how I discovered the place is worth a separate post so I will reserve that for a new one.
Last year 2018, I explored with other non-charitable organizations with whom I worked with. Early this year, I had the chance to go back to this community and joined Project Pearls' regular Saturday activity last January 26th. Saturdays are dedicated for brain boosting work shop when children are given art works to accomplish. On this day, they were asked to create diorama.
The workshop is conducted on a dilapidated structure in the middle of the slum community. Around 300 children of different ages gather in the morning and before the workshop begins, there is the morning exercises wherein the children are asked to pull a partner from anyone among the volunteers and they dance. This exercise activity goes on while other volunteers prepare the food for the feeding part of the program.
And while the others were busy dancing, this little girl was busy climbing onto me. This is how the children are. They are sweet and treat volunteers as long acquaintances, not strangers.
The feeding program followed after the exercises wherein we volunteers served the meals. There were two tables where the children formed two lines to. I was on one of the tables and took care of the rice.
Pose before getting the rice ready for distribution.
I noticed the children are now more organized than before. Though the really small children were playful, the parents who also volunteered were quick enough to take care of them.
We re-arranged the tables after the meal. Other volunteers were told to pick their table of children to manage.
I did not know what is the artwork for the day so I joined the other volunteers at the back area where they were working on papers. The were cutting colored and letter-sized papers into square so I joined in. I wondered what the children will do with squares.
Cutting squares.
When the workshop facilitator presented in the middle, she explained that the artwork for the day is to create a diorama and that starts with creating an open box first. Now that's origami which I thought was hard for very young children. I was right. Even us volunteers took time to learn creating the open box. We were actually laughing at each other as we struggled to form our boxes.
When the children noticed that I created a box, they lined up with their papers sticking out in front of me. They were asking me to create their boxes. As I create a box and hand to the owner, they run back to their seats to create the diorama. I must admire the creativity of these very small kids.
After the workshop, the volunteers had photo shoot with the children under their care showcasing their crafts. Then the children lined up to go. At the exit, a table was waiting with cup capes and vitamin drops. The children had their bonuses before going home.
And of course, the whole activity was concluded with a photo shoot of all volunteers.
I've been going to this place for years so I thought it was okay. However, I went home with pounding head. In the evening I was having fever. I had to pump up with meds to be able to get up for church the following day, Sunday. It was a tiring yet fulfilling day to see those children learning instead of loitering around this place.
All photos with Project Pearls watermark were taken and used with permission. All other photos are mine. Everyone was supposed to be part of the activity so I did not ask anyone to be the caretaker of my phone. 😊
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