Great New Photos of the Dugcal Elementary School Children

The Dugcal School Feeding Program

Dear Give Children Hope,

Finally the day has come for the opening of the Meals at School Program in Dugcal Elementary School, Camaligan, Camarines Sur. We were blessed to have a good weather. The Mayor, the Vice Mayor of Camaligan, the Barangay Captain of Dugcal and the PTA General President of the School were present to witness this charitable act. They were so grateful that Dugcal has this blessing for the children, further the Mayor wished that this blessing would go also to other schools here.

The children were all dressed in red showing how happy they are for these early gifts they received.They were all grateful to Give Children Hope.

To the sponsors of Give Children Hope... in behalf of the Principal, the teachers, the parents and the students I would like to say thank you so much for the early gifts they received this yuletide season. May you all have the best of things in life.

Helen
GCH- Camarines Sur

More Information on the new Feeding Program

A lot of planning goes in to creating a feeding program. Here are just a few of the purchased items that were needed to begin making the meals:

-11 large basins
-6 big cauldrons
-360 glasses
-11 water gallons
-2 chopping boards
-11 dippers
-7 ladles
-2 strainers
-360 plastic bowls
-360 spoons
-6 clay stoves
-3 knives
-2 bars of soap & 2 dishwashing foams
-12 pails
-11 bread baskets

We have every hope that this program will thrive here just as well as it has in the Maravilla School. We will be posting new pictures soon. Thank you for all your support and for helping make a difference in these children's lives.

Meet Helen Grace Agawin

Helen, our Dugcal Elementary School feeding representative, with her college students

To Give Children Hope,

To all the sponsors of Give Children Hope: on behalf of the children of Dugcal Elem School, the teachers, the parents and the principal, I would like to thank you all for the support and love you are extending to the children here. It will bring to them a big difference in their lives. Thank you and more power.

Sincerely yours,
Helen Grace Agawin

*Helen is our representative for the Dugcal Elementary School feeding program. Her parents taught there for several years when she was a child, until they were able to retire. She is now a teacher as well and teaches as a college instructor in two different sister schools. She teaches Spanish to the 2nd and 3rd year college students.

**Dugcal School is the same school that one of our founders, Don Cooper, visited back in 1976. Back then they only had eight textbooks for the entire school and not enough chairs for all the children to be sitting at the same time. With Don's help, the school received several new textbooks to further the children's education. Don has many fond memories of the Dugcal school.

Dugcal Elementary School Feeding Project

We, at Give Children Hope, are very pleased to announce that we have begun a new feeding program in another area of the Philippines. We have chosen to implement this new program in the Dugcal Elementary School and hope that it will flourish, as it has in the Maravilla Elementary School. Our participants are eager and show great enthusiasm for this program. We thank all those who are continuing their support for Give Children Hope and helping us to make a difference in these children's lives.





The school children beneficiaries of Dugcal Elementary School for the Supplementary Feeding Program


The intermediate school children of Dugcal Elementary School


Happy Smiling faces of the students


Meeting with Dugcal Elementary School Parents for the Supplementary Feeding Program
Meeting Held: November 5th, 2010

Update For Give Children Hope Programs

GCH MARAVILLA ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

MARAVILLA, POTOTAN, ILOILO CITY – At the southern most part of this town lies, Maravilla Elementary School, one of the many beneficiaries of the Give Children Hope Foundation. This year the foundation launched two programs that will promote wellness and sustainability, not just for students but for the parents as well.

First of these projects is the FEEDING PROGRAM, which provides free meals for each student. The objective of this program is to provide children with healthy and nutritious meals that will sustain them all throughout the day. The teachers are happy to note that 150 children have benefited from this, so every recess time is something that they really look forward to. Parents take turns in preparing these meals for them, but if not, the teachers help each other in the kitchen. The leftovers are being sent home to the kids for them to eat and share with their families.
Sir Cyril, the school principal and Ma'am Rufina, a nursery teacher share the same observation with regards to the improvements made:

First, is that the health of their students have improved, and that cases of malnutrition have decreased significantly. Bear in mind that some students go to school without having their breakfast, the most important meal of the day.

Second is that absenteeism has also been reduced, since students will no longer have to worry about their allowance, because the school already provides them with free meals.
LONG QUEUE SAYS IT ALL. Students patiently wait for their turn to be served. Recess is something these kids look forward to.



KEEP 'EM COMING: Children help themselves with the soup. DOWN BELOW: Ma'am Rufina and Ma'am Pearlie take turns serving food.

Happy Meals, Happy Hours. Students enjoying their soups.



Another project which allows the parents of these students to get involved, is the GARDENING PROGRAM. This program helps parents sustain themselves and their families by planting vegetables that they can sell or can be brought home for them to eat. Parents have a designated area where they can plant and grow their own vegetables. They regularly tend to their garden, which consists of eggplants, okras and jutes among others. The garden currently needs replanting since most of these vegetables have already been harvested.

This program is very helpful especially during non-harvesting season where food can be scarce and parents struggle just to make ends meet.
GROW WHERE YOU ARE PLANTED (BELOW). These are just some of the vegetables that are planted in the garden.


PIGGERY:
Aside from the gardening program, the foundation also set up this project to help the school sustain itself financially by growing piglets, which can be sold later on. Sir Cyril said that this project is in it's trial stage but he's very optimistic that this project will succeed.

(ABOVE) Pigs anyone?. These pair of piglets will be fed and grown for sale, proceeds of which will go to the school and their projects.

FROM THE PARENTS:
Some parents share the same sentiments as the teachers regarding the program.
It takes half the burden from them, since they will no longer have to think about their children's allowance or taking their children with them to work in the rice fields just to earn something for the day. These parents realize how important it is for their children to go to school and learn, lest they want their children to suffer the same fate as they did. Knowing well enough that these kids can have a bright future.

FROM THE PRINCIPAL AND TEACHERS:
Sir Cyril beams with pride as he told us that one of their students placed 2nd during the Character Impersonation Contest at the District Meet. He said that joining competitions was a way for them to showcase what Maravilla Elementary School can offer and what their students are made of. These competitions are another way to bring exposure to the school.

Their lives changed because you've touched them. If help will continue to pour in, they may be able to finish school and reach for their goals. Your simple act of kindness and generosity will inspire them to do the same things for others. They couldn't be grateful enough for giving them the best quality of life possible, a life they rightfully deserved.






Maricris Sonido
GCH – Correspondent
Maravilla Elementary School