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originally posted at http://www.sunstar.com.ph/davao/bansalan-kids-get-help
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AUTHOR'S Note: Although they are now living abroad, the former residents of Bansalan, Davao del Sur never forget where they came from. As a way of saying thanks, they are helping their townmates to uplift their standards of living. Sending some of those deserving pupils to school is just a part of the endeavors these people are supporting.)
They are very young as their ages range from seven to ten years old.
Despite their being innocent, they have their own hopes: one day, they will become what they want to be.
A few days before the opening of classes, they found themselves forming a queue near a barangay hall in Bansalan, Davao del Sur. Their purpose: to get their own school supplies, like notebooks, papers, pencil, and crayons, among others, school bag, and one set of school uniform (blouse and skirt for girls and pants and shirt for boys).
"The main purpose of providing these things is to help these pupils get better quality education as it will motivate them to finish school despite the current hardships and difficulties in life," said Anna Marie Noel.
"We want to provide these children the basic needs they need in school so that they will be inspired to follow their dreams and to continue dreaming even if life is very difficult these days," added Randy Albores.
Both Albores and Noel are officials of the Bansalan chapter of the Association of Bansaleños Worldwide (ABW); Albores is the chair while Noel is the secretary. Both personally handed the basic school needs to the scholars.
In a way, the children are ABW scholars. "We really don't have several criteria. In fact, it is not so much with the grades they earned during the past year," Noel explained.
"As long as they passed and got a grade of 80 and above. Most of them, however, are children of poor parents who have no reliable source of income and have a hard time meeting their basic needs like food. But they have one thing in common: they want to go to school to upgrade themselves and their families," he added.
"I am very happy that my apo is one of the beneficiaries," said the 63-year-old Flavia Gumba from Purok Banikanhon. "I have three grandchildren under my care since their mother is working. Their father had abandoned them, and I heard has another family. It is really too hard to send children to school these days, much more buying them their basic school needs like notebooks and papers."
"When I heard from one of my neighbors that ABW is helping some children in providing school needs, I immediately applied. I was not discouraged even if I knew that there were so many who applied. Even if only one of my grandchildren is given the opportunity, I am basically elated and happy," she added.
This year, the ABW is supporting 99 scholars. These are 54 pupils in Bansalan Central Elementary School, 20 in Dolo Elementary School, 15 in Mabuhay Elementary School, and 5 from Sibayan Elementary School. The remaining 5 elementary pupils are supported in collaboration with the barangay officials of Poblacion Uno. In addition, two female high school students are attending Nazareth High School (third year) and Marber High School (second year).
In return, these ABW scholars have to attend in all ABW activities and required to come to a designated office to meet the coordinator every month. More importantly, at the end of the year, they must pass in all their subjects. Parents of the scholars, on the other hand, must see to it that their children are going to school; also, they are urged to meet regularly once every three months.
ABW is a virtual community composed of current and former residents of Bansalan, Davao del Sur, who now live abroad and in other parts of the Philippines. Its mission is to advance the quality of life of the people in their former hometown.
"We envision a peaceful, progressive, prosperous Bansalan," explained Leila Rispens-Noel, the president of ABW International. "We will support initiatives that will make the town a caring and desirable community in which to live and work."
One of its strategies is providing educational assistance to deserving children and youth. According to the National Statistical Coordination Board (NSCB), one in six school-age children is being deprived of education and the number is rising steadily, indicating that the country is still far from its goal of providing education to all.
"To give back to my hometown" is the main reason why Rispens-Noel is supporting the cause. "I believe that there are many children who wanted to go to school but because of circumstances they simply could not do it. With a little support we give the children the chance to make their dreams come true. I also believe that lack of education is one of the root causes of poverty." (She used to live in the Netherlands but has moved to Hong Kong recently.)
Dr. Hilario "Bongging" Lapena has the same idea. "It's the pay forward principle," said the physician who now lives in Ajax, Canada. "As a student, I got a scholarship in high school and up to medical school. The scholarship was a huge load off the shoulders of my parents."
Tune Sonza-Inumerables, who is supporting the 15 scholars attending Mabuhay Elementary School, has another point of view. "I see in the scholars the hope that once upon a time made me inspired to strive hard in my studies," pointed out the former Mabuhay resident who now works in New York and the association's auditor. "I see in these children so much potential. By helping them, I want them to improve their lives in the future."
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