Queen of Peace
Naga City, Philippines
Images can be deceiving
The image of the Philippines evokes a vision of exotic turquoise seas, lush rainforests and striking flowers. Yet beneath this romantic image lies the frequent threat of earthquakes, tsunamis, typhoons and economic hardships.
The Philippines is one of the most populated countries in the world with more than 20 million people living in poverty. In Naga City squatters and slum dwellers make up nearly 25% of its population. Many of these families are forced to make the difficult decision between letting their child starve or abandoning them.
Queen of Peace Children’s Home serves 68 children
The Compassionate Franciscan Sisters of the Poor founded Queen of Peace Children’s Home in 1996 as a halfway house for children in one of Naga City’s poorest villages. The Sisters took in children who had been cast away by their families because they were disabled.
As the number of abandoned children grew, the sisters relocated Queen of Peace Children’s Home in 2005 to accomodate 30 orphans. Today they care for 50 children in the orphanage and operate a day care and preschool that include children from the nearby community. A large multipurpose center with modern classrooms was completed in 2018.
The Sisters care for children from three weeks old to 17 years old by providing them with:
- Medical and dental care
- Nutritious meals
- Day care and preschool
- A loving home
The orphanage is home to 50 children
Many of the children arrive at Queen of Peace Children’s Home malnourished. Their parents wanted to provide for them but when there was no food to feed their children they were forced to abandon them.
The orphanage has a nursery for the babies and separate dormitories for the older boys and girls. The rooms are brightly painted with colorful numbers, stars and hearts. Here the children have a clean bed and receive nutritious meals as the sisters nurse their frail bodies back to health.
The children quickly adapt to day care, preschool or the nearby public schools. After school they play on their playground and help with the vegetable and spice gardens. The housemothers even sleep in the children’s rooms at night which gives the children a sense of security.
The day care and preschool serves 18 children from the community
Education is a privilege the poor rarely get. In the Philippines 40% of children never even complete primary school because they need to work to help feed their families. This is a major social and economic problem in the Philippines.
At Queen of Peace day care and preschool, 15 of the younger children from the orphanage are joined by 18 additional children from the surrounding community to prepare them for public school. The Sisters provide counseling and encourage the parents to attend monthly workshops at the center. The goal is to help families stay together by assisting them through the roughest of times.
The orphans older than six attend the local public schools with all the necessary supplies including a healthy lunch. They also mentor the younger children. Each child receives three new school uniforms at the beginning of the school year. Small things like providing a child with new uniforms and school supplies make a huge difference. It allows them to attend school without feeling deprived or underprivileged.
Health and wellness enhance the quality of their lives
Children brought to the orphanage are nursed back to health which often takes many months. The children in the orphanage and preschool receive medical and dental checkups. Medical care is especially critical for children who are born with disabilities. The Sisters work diligently with organizations like All Children to provide specialized medical care for children with greater challenges.
Jherwin and John have greater obstacles than most
Jherwin was born on January 3, 2017 in a small remote Philippine village that has no hospital. He had a noticeable lump at the base of his spine. With the community’s support, the family traveled to Naga City to meet with a pediatric surgeon. Jherwin needed to undergo surgery to remove the growth but his parents could not afford the procedure.
In just two months, the aggressive tumor grew to nearly the size of Jherwin’s head. In desperation Jherwin’s family returned to Naga City and sought help from Queen of Peace. Without surgery the mass would continue to grow and Jherwin would be paralyzed for life. All Children, Inc. covered all the costs related to Jherwin’s urgent surgery and recovery. Today Jherwin is playing with his friends and only has a scar to remind his parents how blessed they are.
John was born with a slight bulge on his nose. At five months he appeared healthy but the lump continued to grow. Doctors urged his parents to get further testing but they barely had enough money to put food on their table much less pay for another doctor’s bill. When John turned two and a half his parents sought help from Queen of Peace. John was underweight, sickly and the tumor was so large that it impaired his vision and nasal passages. Queen of Peace accepted him into their orphanage knowing that without help John would not have another birthday. The first of two surgeries was completed in the spring of 2019. With the Sisters’ love and support of All Children, John will have a chance to grow up.
Medical care saves lives
Children living in unsanitary conditions with poor nutrition fall victim to infections and diseases.
- $1,360 per month provides all the children with medical and dental care
- $400 per month provides the necessary medicine and vaccinations for everyone
- $200 per month takes care of 10 children’s health needs
- $20 per month pays for the medical care of one child
Balanced nutrition builds strong bodies
No child should ever wake up to fatigue, pain and hunger. We have the power to help these children grow up healthy and strong. It costs less than $1.50 a day to feed a child and it remains to be one of the greatest challenges for the center.
- $2,800 per month provides nutritious meals and snacks for the children at the orphanage, day care and preschool
- $2,250 per month feeds just the orphans three healthy meals and snacks every day
- $550 per month provides one meal and a snack each school day for the 18 children from the surrounding community
Poor education is a legacy of illiteracy
Children without the fundamental skills of reading and writing will find it difficult to ever find jobs. All Children wants to give these children a chance to pursue their dreams.
- $2,150 per month funds the educational expenses for the 33 children in day care and preschool
- $650 per month covers the educational expenses of 10 children
- $400 per month provides transportation to and from the nearby public schools
- $65 per month funds the educational costs of one child in day care or preschool
Give these children a chance to build a legacy of well-being for themselves and for their future families.
All Children, Inc. is a 501(c)3 global nonprofit organization that protects, empowers and advocates for at-risk children living in extreme poverty. Our main objective is to provide medical care, nutrition, education and shelter with attention to children with mental and physical disabilities.
Reaching vulnerable children early in life and meeting their physical and spiritual needs equips them to lead fuller lives. Caregivers and community leaders with proven long-term success lead our programs to create a healthy family environment.
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To download the Queen of Peace brochure, click here. For more information on other All Children projects visit allchildren.org.
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