Craft time

I love rainy days..

but not for hours and hours ..

In the Philippines, rain can be non stop for days!!!!

We will keep the girls busy.. Craft time is a great way to spend rainy days at school

Take a break from Math ..

Hmm..what is she up to??

Hand made aquarium made from recycled juice boxes

So great that the girls at FLAG are getting this chance to make crafts

Still so many girls back home do not have any chance at all.

I wish we can help them all.

One day..

Thank you for stopping by,

Hugs,

Monica 

a little goes a long way

It took me two years to add this “donate” button on our blog and our site -(www.flagphil.com).  Friends, followers have been asking how they can help and I always say anything will do. We have received used clothing, toys, school supplies and sometimes monetary donations.  I rarely ask people for money especially during current economic conditions. Donations have been down since the recession in all charitable organizations.  We do understand.

For those of you who asked me how much to donate, a little goes a long way! Less than $25 a month you can feed, educate and support one of our girls.  Jon and I give more than 90% to run the school that includes:

Our staff - one teacher, one assistant,cook and our director. They are our family back home.  Without them, we will not be here.

 

Utilities - clean water and electricity.  We are very lucky our church clean water to provide for the children.  Clean water will help prevent the spread of germs. Healthy kids are happy kids.

School expenses - we have 3 girls who are attending the regular public school system.  We are responsible for their weekly allowance, food, transportation, books, uniforms and any other fees that the school asks for.

Food - 3 meals a day and snacks. We make sure the kids are fed with proper nutrition. All of the girls are malnourished and under fed. They don't have a proper meal at home so we make sure they are well nourished when they are in our care. We have feeding programs on the weekends for the street kids as well in the neighborhood. 

Medical and dental expenses - kids do get sick from time to time. We don't have free health care back home nor their parents have medical insurance.  We pay for prescriptions and all medical check ups.

This is our second year and no sign of stopping. From 15 girls to 22 since we opened, we feel we had made a big progress.  Our goal for this year is to have 30 girls. That's a very small number compared to the number of little girls back home who are in school today.  The number is in the thousands.  Maybe one day, there will be none


Thank you for stopping by,


Hugs,

Monica

The boy who swam to school

With all the time I have these days, I am able to explore (watch TV) the programs back home (Philippines).  I enjoy food shows, travels and culture.  Most interesting and heart breaking shows are documentaries on children around the country who are missing the opportunity to go to school.
One story about this boy who lives in Cagayan near the area where Sendong , the typhoon that  took the lives of many due to landslides and floods.  His small village was not hardly hit but it destroyed his only way to get to school - rope attached from one rock to another above the river. Built by his grandfather, this rope has a wooden cable car where he can sit and pull to cross the river.

SO WHAT DID HE DO?? HE SWAM.   After swimming for about 45 minutes, it will take him about 2 hours to walk up to mountains to reach the only school in his village. Unbelievable! ( how often do our kids whine because they didn't want to go to school?)

Friends, I am simply sending a message to all of us how blessed we are.  We feel stress because we are not able to keep up with life or (the Joneses). These stories and images changed my life, how I live it. Although I will never meet this boy ever in my life, these images I will never forget.  

 

Thank you for stopping by,

Hugs,

On behalf of the F.L.A.G team

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Why invest in women?

Some people ask why invest on women? or the girls from the Philippines.  I don't like to call it as a 'investment' - we are not making money from these girls and their mothers.  We are investing in their future so we can stop the cycle of poverty, ignorance and lack of education.  Do we care? Or should we continue to live in a bubble?


Infographic from :   USAID www.usaid.gov


99% - of maternal deaths each year occur  in developing countries. ( Philippines is in this category)

1- 5 girls in developing countries who enroll in primary school never finish. I don't think these girls asked to be born in this country. Imagine YOU being in this situation??

How  can I not give them a chance? They deserve a chance , it was not their fault.

Jessel is turning 13 this year, we have given her a chance not to be part of that 7 ..

1 in 7 girls will marry befory they are 15 in developing countries.  You are lucky it's not your niece, daughter, friend.. but what about how her? Does she deserve that? 
Girls who stay in school for seven years or more years, marry four years  later and have two fewer children.

One day, they will become somebody.. I just wish I can do more .

It brings us great joy knowing we can make a difference even with just these 23 girls. I hope you can share the blessings you have to make a difference in someone's life.

Thank you for stopping by,

Hugs,

On behalf of the F.L.A.G team

Follow us on twitter.com/flagphil

Like us on facebook.com/flagphilippines