The program that we began in 2010 to help children in the Philippines has proven to be a great success already.
One-third of the children cannot afford the sixteen cents per day cost of transportation and the cost of lunch. The government does not pay for transportation costs or lunch, and attendance at school is not required. But these children want to go to school. Education is a luxury. The alternative is growing up without an education and unemployment as adults.
In 2010, a Filipino teacher, Annabelle Raiz, Dr.David Singer and two students, one from the Philippines, Kevin Raiz and Taylor Singer from the United States, started the FILIPINO-AMERICAN CHILDREN’S EDUCATION PROGRAM (FACE). Annabelle was a mathematics teacher at the Pedro “Oloy” N. Roa High School. She was invited to the United States because of the success of her teaching methods and to help children in the Philippines. In June of 2012 Dr. David Singer and Annabelle Raiz were married. Mrs. Singer and David will continue the Filipino-American Children’s Education Program.
Through the Filipino-American Children’s Education Program, children actually make the crafts that you see for sale here. They have made these crafts so that both they and their peers can have enough money to go to school. In addition, we hope that these children can see that the efforts of their work can produce sellable products. It is our hope that they not only learn skills and see the possibility of developing businesses for themselves in the future but that their efforts help others.
The Philippines is probably the closest ally of the United States in Asia. Few realize the close bonds between the United States and the Philippines. Yet, financial assistance is very low and capital investment has been very slow. The children have paid the price. We hope that we have begun to help change that.
Several financial institutions have expressed an interest in sponsoring this project so that it can expand to help more children. One of the primary goals of this project is for it to become self-sustaining within two years.
Each $7 bracelet, pair of earrings and necklace that we sell enables one child to attend school for about two months!! Our small efforts with these crafts will have a tremendous impact on the lives of many children.
We will be selling crafts at the North River Arts Memorial Day Fair in Marshfield, MA on Saturday and Sunday, May 25th and 26th, 2013. We will also sell them at OctoberFest in Harvard Square, Cambridge, MA on Saturday and Sunday, October 19th and 20th, 2013.
We are currently looking for more venues and fairs to sell these crafts and would welcome any advice or ideas that you may have.
Please contact us at MohonkCT@aol.com if you have any questions or suggestions to help make this program thrive.
