“I was born in the Philippines but moved to the United States at a very young age. Most of what I remember about my time there was drawn out from family photos and stories. Volunteer for the Visayans gave me an opportunity to put use my media education, meet people from all over the world, and explore parts of the country I had not seen yet.

You never really know what to expect once you step off that plane. Thoughts along the lines of “what am I doing?” came to mind as I waited for my baggage in the small airport along with one other volunteer. A member of the VFV staff was there to meet us and take us to our homestay. Once I walked through that “arch” (which every volunteer will come to know so well during their stay) I knew there was no turning back. Immediately, we were greeted with charismatic smiles and excited neighborhood children. You will come to realize that Tacloban and its surrounding towns are some of the most welcoming communities you will probably ever come across.

Being VFV’s first Media Intern definitely had its benefits and my only disadvantage was time. With the help of the very supportive staff, I had a chance to help shape the Media Intern Program for future volunteers and I only wish I had more time to carry out ideas to help spread the word of VFV’s social welfare projects. The hardest part of my job was coming off unnoticeable while lugging around a camera. You will not have a difficult time getting someone to smile and pose for a photo, but telling them to ignore you and the camera is a different story because most people want know more about you and make you feel comfortable. My main priority was to shadow other volunteers and staff at the various placements, capture their daily activities, and lend a helping hand wherever they needed me. Having said that, I got to do what many other volunteers did not: visit and help out the other programs. Just because you are assigned to a specific placement does not mean you are restricted from volunteering in the other programs, but because of time constraints, you often do not have a chance to do so. For four weeks I saw firsthand the impact the VFV staff and volunteers had on people and the change they were creating in their communities. Each program is different but every one of them is valuable and significant to the people there.

My volunteer experience would not be complete without mentioning the unforgettable people I encountered and the friendships I formed with them during my time there. My homestay family always went out of their way to make sure I felt right at home right from the moment I had arrived. It was amazing to meet volunteers from various places and learn about their lives back home as well as have them nearby whenever I felt homesick or adventurous. Some of us even traveled to other cities and islands together, but several of my fondest memories involve us just hanging out in Bliss along with our local friends.

If it is your first time volunteering overseas, like it was for me, forget every pre-conceived notion you have and just experience it for yourself. Your time with VFV really is what you make of it and I received one of the most eye-opening and humbling experiences of my life.”

Prior to beginning his time with VFV, Ali was in frequent communication with the team at VFV, answering questions about its Nutrition Public Health Project so that Ali could adequately prepare himself ahead of his arrival. Whilst Ali initially anticipated having a unique time, he never quite anticipated how his time in the Philippines would be one of the “most valuable and thought provocative” months of his life.

Unlike most other volunteers, Ali was tasked with not only volunteering on VFV’s Nutrition Public Health Project, but was also given the opportunity to take a critical stand point by evaluating the effectiveness of VFV’s projects, providing constructive criticism if needed and observing VFV’s work in the local community. From this privileged position, Ali was able to conduct research into the effectiveness of VFV’s efforts to help promote education on nutrition and to combat malnutrition in more than a hundred pre-school children from rural areas.

“I was welcomed and treated with love and respect” states Ali as he reflectes on his first moments in the Philippines. He later goes on to say that it was the “happiness and simplicity” he observed in everyday Filipino eyes that was ‘mind-blowing’.

Over his 5 months, Ali researched the effectiveness of VFV’s nutrition program by interviewing the families of children who were enrolled on it’s feeding programs. In total he interviewed more than 100 families from low-income communities in Tacloban City and Tanauan, Leyte. The children in most of these families had suffered from significant to severe cases of malnourishment often as a result of poverty but at times exacerbated by a lack of information dissemination about nutrition and healthy eating. Some of Ali’s daily tasks involved measuring and weighing the children on existing programs as well as taking measurements of children from previous programs to evaluate the condition of children a number of months after the completion of their project. During his interviews he remarks on the nature of Filipinos “I saw the kindness and warmth welcome in every single family that I interviewed” he states.

Outside of his volunteering and research, Ali went on to explore much of the surrounding areas on Leyte and Samar commenting not only on the natural beauty but also on the “unforgettable experience” he was able to have from being part of the community and viewing the Philippines from a different perspective. He further comments on obtaining a completely different perspective on volunteering abroad, having the opportunity to meet some of the nicest, well-educated and open minded people he could ever meet.

Ali’s time volunteering in the Philippines was sincerely appreciated by everyone at Volunteer for the Visayans as well as the local communities he served in. We’re very eager to receive a more detailed account of Ali’s research in the months ahead and are more than willing to accept any other applicants who want to combine field research with volunteering from now on.

You can read more about Ali’s volunteering in the Philippines, along with more personal accounts from some of our other previous volunteers by visiting our Testimonials Page.

To recap, Lola Cion is an elderly grandmother charged with the sole responsibility of raising her three grandchildren aged 5, 7 and 10 years old. Most of her day is spent

undergoing chores such as collecting firewood or farming root crops in order to make a meagre income to support her family. On a good day, Lola can make a few peso which would allow her to prepare a simple meal, however the family lacks a sufficient income to provide some of the basic needs. What makes Lola’s situation even worse is that she lives on an extremely remote island off the coast of Leyte which is only reachable by pump boat and makes visits by social welfare organizations extremely rare.

Since the show was first aired, VFV have received more well-wishes and pledges from Filipino benefactors who wish to help Lola Cion. In particular, there has been discussion both on VFV’s Twitter account and numerous comments and updates given through its Facebook page.

What makes the case of Lola Cion so different from it’s other projects is that the majority of benefactors for the project have been Filipino. Usually VFV is given a lot of support through its fantastic international child sponsors and donors who are able to provide funds to provide disadvantaged children with the means to go to school, to rehabilitate children from working inside local garbage dumps and to feed malnourished children. However, with the case of Lola Cion – VFV have accumulated a number of varying sized donations from local donors here in the Philippines and also Filipino’s currently working overseas.

With this in mind, VFV have initiated the 1000 Peso Challenge, an initiative with the goal of finding 200 donors in the Philippines to each donate 1,000 peso so that VFV can reach it’s target goal of 200,000 Peso in order to rebuild Lola Cion’s quickly dilapidating home. This is not just a way of changing the life of one family, but a method to highlight and emphasize the solidarity of the Filipino people, to showcase that despite being a nation with numerous economic challenges, that we can unite and band together for a worthy cause.

So where do we start? Well first of all – if you can’t spare then share, like this article and share with as many people as you possibly can, also follow us on Facebook and follow our tweets on Twitter. If you do have the capacity to give something, you can make payment either via internet banking or by going into a Philippine National Bank branch and make a payment:

Account Name: Volunteer For The Visayans,
IncAccount No: 232235000020
Routing No: 026 003004
Bank Name: Philippine National Bank
Address: Justice Romualdez St., Tacloban City, Philippines
Phone No: +63 (053) 321-2053
Swift Code: PNB MPHMMXXX
Note: (No IBAN)

With the help from their fellow Filipino’s, positive change can happen for Lola Cion and her family. Kaya natin ito pag tayo’y magtutulungan!

This year, the venue is Dagami, Leyte , a landlocked rural town 32km from Tacloban City with just over thirty thousand people. By local standards, the municipality is classified as third class with it’s main industry and income coming from coconut, rice and corn farming – around 37% of its population are unemployed and many of those who are employed only make meagre wages.

With the support of our good friends at An Waray Party List and a number of Leyte’s charitable municipal doctors, Volunteer for the Visayans will be aiming to provide free medical services to some of the towns poorest inhabitants. This simple day long event, is not only a means to alleviate some of the health and economic related concerns in the community, but also acts as a token to remind local residents that they’re not forgotten about.

Keeping to our tradition, the event will also be supported by our international volunteers, some of whom will be participating on VFV’s Rural Health Clinic project.

With exactly 60 days left to go, Volunteer for the Visayans is requesting extra support in order to help replace some of its redundant medical equipment which is used during the mission. For any individuals or groups looking to help support this cause, please contact our Community Program Coordinator at wimwim@visayans.org. Aside from this we’re also still accepting applications for any individuals who are interested in volunteering for the event.

VFV has a long history in providing free healthcare for the less fortunate and hopes to continue to this obligation with maximum success on May 19, 2012. For further inquiries and more information, please feel free to contact us.

Volunteer for the Visayans (VFV) recently announced that they were looking for an international intern to join their team for a period of 12 months in order to assist with day-to-day operations and future developments of the non-profit, non-government organisation located in Tacloban City. Today, the organisation is currently accepting applications from its volunteer alumni network and fresh applicants who want to gain valuable international experience in the field of non-profit management and sustainable development.

The intern will work in all corners of the organisation, from aiding with the development and promotion of VFV’s Child Sponsorship Program to liaising VFV’s international partners and benefactors and helping to manage and improve VFV’s current on-ground operations in the Eastern Visayas.

VFV will provide accommodation and meals for the intern as well as a small stipend. This position is ideal for fresh graduates who are aiming to acquire international experience ahead of applying for employment. If you wish to acquire any further information on the position, please feel free to contact us.

Applicants can email their resumes and letters of application to chris@visayans.org. Application deadline is June 1, 2012.

For the second time I was placed at the RSCC orphanage, where my heart was effortlessly melted by the numerous adorable Filipino babies in the nursery. The vibrant happiness of the children, portrayed in such hard circumstances, showed me the resiliency and optimism that fills Filipino culture. My most notable experiences are, literally getting my hands and feet fully immersed in the VFV Build-A-Home Projects, in a rural farming community called Cangumbang. During my stay I was able to help complete three new Build-A-Home projects, it was unbelievable to be able to physically give families so much over such a short period of time. Even when it was pouring down rain or the area became flooded, construction of the homes continued. Not only did the community welcome the help of VFV staff and its volunteers, but the handfuls of children that lived in the area were dying to help us build too. Building the homes was such an amazing challenge filled with hard work and a generous amount of smiles. I never imagined my second trip to Tacloban could be so tremendously rewarding. I am so thankful to have formed a relationship with Volunteer for Visayans and to have had the opportunity to participate in all of the life changing projects they are constantly creating. I greatly look forward to returning yet again to the Philippines, as it seems near impossible for me to stay away. My blog site is http://blog.travelpod.com/travel-blog/elsat/2/tpod.html

It therefore came as a great surprise and source of elevation for me when I learnt that the men and women from GMA’s Imbestigador had taken the opportunity to reach out VFV in order to assist them with the outreach to an eighty year old grandmother who is fondly referred to as Lola Cion.

When GMA‘s Imbestigador called VFV, they were put in contact with VFV’s Community Program Coordinator Wimwim Canayong who used some of the resources in VFV’s inventory to provide relief goods to Lola Cion and to also learn more about the elderly woman’s situation.

For those of you who didn’t catch the show, or for those of our friends living abroad who have problems with the language translation: Lola Cion is an elderly woman and carer to her three grandchildren aged 5, 7 and 10 years old. Despite her age, Lola Cion undertakes an immense number of chores looking after her grandchildren; which involves her collecting firewood from a small forest to use and sell for pocket money and tending to a small piece of ‘borrowed’ land in order to grow root crops. What is made even more challenging is the fact that Lola Cion lives on an extremely small island off the coast of Leyte which is accessible only by pump boat.

Since then, VFV have had an influx of well-wishers and local benefactors from around the Philippines who have pledged support to Lola Cion and her grandchildren. VFV hopes to further assess Lola Cion’s situation and provide services to both her and her children which will insure the acquisition of mainstream education for Lola Cion’s grandchildren and help sustainably improve the situation of the whole family. After the show aired on GMA, the sheer influx of emails from people wishing to pledge support to Lola Cion was outstanding and still strikes me a true indicator to the great spirit of the Filipino people.

With more than 300 individuals connected to VFV’s various outreach projects including its well established Child Sponsorship Program and Dumpsite Project the sheer workload at times can often be overwhelming. As a result VFV staff are so thankful to their international and local volunteers who are always close at hand to provide that extra bit of support.

Reflecting on 2011, it was one heck of a year, more build-a-home projects than ever before, a number of successfully implemented supplementary feeding projects, more children rehabilitated from the grim horrors of working inside the Tacloban city garbage dump, not to mention a whole number of other great achievements. I only hope, that 2012 can match, if not better the success the organization had in 2011 and we can only do that with the continued support of our fantastic volunteers, sponsors and donors. At the same time, I want to give specific credit to the fantastic staff at VFV who do such wonderful things for disadvantaged communities all year round!

Christopher Franks
Trustee
Volunteer for the Visayans, Inc

Since then, with the help of friends at the GoAbroad Foundation, VFV has raised over $5,000 in order to construct a venue which will enable a wide variety of outreach and enrichment activities to be conducted with the more than 40 enrolled children on VFV’s various Dumpsite Project initiatives. Aside from that, by the middle January of 2012, the centre will also serve as the venue for VFV’s 4th 6 month long supplementary feeding and nutritional awareness project which aims to provide daily healthy meals for malnourished infants between 3 and 6 years old whilst at the same time providing a variety of workshops and seminars to help promote the importance of healthy nutrition throughout the local community. This project will be effectively supported and led by individuals wishing to volunteer abroad in the Nutrition Public Health field, with particular man power support being rendered by a number of international academic institutes.

VFV Community Program Coordinator Wimwim Canayong cuts the ribbon to officially open in the centre.

The inauguration of the building was attended by VFV staff, the local priest, members of the local community, international volunteers, international sponsors and members of the local community council who all pitched in together in order to help beckon in the festive season by conducting a small but throughly enjoyable Christmas Party for all of the children on the project.

The day was made even more special when each child on the project received a Christmas gift courtesy of the diligent work from an anonymous donor and her family who helped supply each and every child on VFV projects with a gift in time for Christmas.

When asked, VFV Community Program Coordinator and founder of the Dumpsite Project Helena Claire “Wimwim” Canayong could barely control her emotions, stating that “No amount of words can describe how truly happy we are with our center which my kids fondly called ‘balay nga orange’ (the orange home)”. When asked about the project, Wimwim has been operating the project for a period of six years and has faced many challenges, setbacks and successes – the physical presence of the centre not only serves as a beacon of light for the local community but also a testament to what can be achieved through long periods of devotion and hard work.

The completion of the project beckons in a new era for Volunteer for the Visayans who hope to not only expand the development of their Dumpsite Project but who also hope to complete further community centers in similar remote barangays as a means of nurturing sustainable education and community development initiatives.

For those that gave money, who shared the dream or who put their sweat and hard work into the construction of the centre, we thank you all!

If you’d like to find out more about the Dumpsite Project and the ways in which you can help, please do not hesitate to contact us.

As a ‘far flung’ area, the children of Canggumbang are not as familiar with seeing foreigners as some of the other children on the Sponsorship Program are. However, for the last few months the children have seen more and more foreign volunteers entering the barangay as the VFV Build-A-Home Project expands to benefit the local community.

The barangay, which is extremely prone to flooding suffers almost every year as local rivers and streams overflow and flood into the neighbouring rice fields, causing both physical and economical devastation to a community which is already facing its fair share of socioeconomic issues.

In order to alleviate some of the damage caused to personal property during the rains, VFV has already assisted three families in the barangay through the construction of brand new houses which are raised by approximately four to five feet above the ground on sturdy concrete pillars. Through this innovation, the local families can seek refuge during floods and will be spared from the threat of damage to property.

Funding for the three Build-A-Home projects have originated from various sources; including private donations, donations from one of VFV’s international partner organisations and from funds siphoned through VFV’s unique social enterprising model. The houses, which are easily identifiable due to their bright fluorescent appearance cost between 80,000 to 100,000 PHP (approximately $2,000 USD) and will last the families for a number of years. In addition, the homes have also been provided with septics tanks and comfort rooms in order to improve local sanitation.

Project labor is obtained through the employment of local carpenters and paid labourers who are assisted by international volunteers, by providing additional support through the use of volunteers, the project is able to be completed quicker and reduces costs which allow for the purchase of higher quality materials. Whilst the houses are by no means anything like the houses from which our volunteers come from, volunteers leave satisfied upon witnessing the smiles of the family entering their new home for the first time.

As time goes on, VFV would like to address further houses in the community and is also considering the future development of a small community centre which can act as a daycare as well as an emergency relief shelter for other community members who fall victim to future floods.

VFV continues to be grateful for the kind and accommodating nature of the residents of barangay Canggumbang who make working the community so rewarding. If you’re an individual who is interested in funding a Build-A-Home Project, or you’d like to participate as a volunteer, please do not hesitate to contact us.

However before many people reach for their credit card or check book, they often like to explore the various different projects and schemes that are out there in order to be reassured that their money is going to a good cause and that they are supporting a project which is both responsible and sustainable.

Sponsoring a child is no different and there is absolutely no shortage of Child Sponsorship Programs that boast a multitude of services in a wide range of different developing nations.

In this article, I’d like to offer an insight to the Volunteer for the Visayans (VFV) Child Sponsorship Program so I may outline the various services and support networks that are offered to children and families enrolled on our program in the Philippines and the unique personal contact that is made between sponsor and child as well as the professional services offered by our experienced and friendly staff.

Resources for Education

Offering access to education is at the forefront of VFV’s mandate and is one of the major directives of the Child Sponsorship Program. By enrolling and keeping children active in school VFV can offer children the means to be the master’s of their own destiny and aim to use education as a means to eventually break the poverty cycle.

Every child who is sponsored through Volunteer for the Visayans is given the means to have all major academic costs handled by the organization (including enrollment fees and examinations fees). In many cases this is one of the major issues that prevents children from pursuing academic studies, in the case of large families some children have to sacrifice their opportunity to go to school so that a sibling may go in their stead. By providing these fees, VFV lightens the burdens for families suffering from socioeconomic hardships and allows children to develop their full potential.

In addition children are also provided with all of their necessary school supplies and partial provision of school uniform items. The reason this service is provided is because that is incredibly common for children in the Philippines to stop going to school because they do not have notebooks, pens, pencils and other stationery – after all, there’s little point in going to class if you’re not able to take notes. Outside of the Child Sponsorship Program, VFV have also devised projects such as the Adopt-A-School Project which aim to alleviate similar issues in remote rural schools in the Philippines.

Children on VFV’s Child Sponsorship Program are also provided with daily after-school tutorials which are facilitated by Volunteer for the Visayans staff, local volunteers and participants enrolled on VFV’s Volunteer Abroad Program. As well as this all of our children’s attendance and progress in school is closely monitored by VFV’ staff and shared with sponsors. If children begin to fall behind, VFV can maximize its additional support structures to offer one-on-one tutoring to further enhance the academic performance of every child.

Health

Every morning before school (and on the weekend), VFV sponsored children are provided with a nutritious and healthy breakfast to prepare them for the day ahead. These meals are regularly monitored by international volunteers participating on VFV’s Nutrition Public Health Project.

Aside from this, children are provided with daily multi-vitamins, offered a free medical health check every year by a licensed doctor and given the means to receive support during illness. By keeping children healthy and their stomachs filled, we reduce the likelihood of them having to miss school due to sickness and/or hunger.

Close Monitoring & Extra-Curricular Activities

VFV is lucky to have two full time members of staff who are able to provide frequent regular contact with both children, parents and sponsors. By having staff dedicated to the welfare of the children and the management of the program VFV is able to constantly evolve its services and offer children access to activities that they might not have been fortunate to have received outside of the program. Frequent regular contact with international volunteers, including excursions and games also allows our sponsored children to develop a strong command of the English language, a quality that will be a great benefit to them in later life.

Aside from this VFV staff and OJT social worker interns from Leyte Normal University are able to conduct such activities as character and confidence building sessions to not only further develop a child’s academic performance but to also mold appropriate social skills.

Build-A-Home & Other Projects

By being enrolled on the Child Sponsorship Program, disadvantaged families have the means to be recipients of VFV’s Build-A-Home Project; which requires absolutely no financial commitment from the sponsor (although donations will always be put to great use). When children are enrolled on the program, their house is ranked based on its condition. Those children living in unsafe, uncomfortable or unsanitary conditions will immediately be marked as potential targets for VFV Build-A-Home Projects which will result in either complete rebuilds or major renovations to the living conditions of the child and his family.

Aside from this, other projects that stem from VFV’s Community Program may also become available to a sponsored child’s parents or siblings. Examples of which include the Mothers Club which lends skills based training, livelihood development workshops and micro financing projects to local low income mothers, Supplementary Feeding which could provide a regular nutritious daily meal for a sponsored child’s infant siblings or even the Girls and Boys Club which provides peer bonding and counseling, skills training and character development for local adolescents.

Correspondence and Connection

Our children love writing letters to their sponsors and we attempt to send as much correspondence from our children to our sponsors as we can. Aside from this, we also encourage our sponsors to send letters to their sponsored children so that a unique relationship between child and sponsor can develop. At the same time, our local English speaking staff are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to answer the concerns and queries of sponsors. VFV takes pride in the personal relationship that develops between the sponsors and the organization and make regular online posts as well as Facebook posts to keep sponsors up to date on progress. VFV appreciates all feedback, comments and suggestions offered by sponsors and even communicates with sponsors to discuss possible new policies and services.

Our Staff

Leoma Godinez, a Registered Social Worker, is a graduate of Bachelor of Science in Social Work at Leyte Normal University. During her Third year in College, she practiced Casework and Group Work in handling clients in DSWD Home for Girls where she was assigned. During her Fourth year, she completed her Community Immersion by being  assigned in Pastrana, Leyte under the supervision of the Municipal Social Welfare Officer wherein she practiced Community Organizing. She organized a Children’s Organization in the community and she conducted community surveys, orientation for the whole community about a certain legislation and also a Parent Effectiveness Seminar. Towards the end of her practicum, she helped the community where she was assigned, in coming up with a Community Development Plan, addressing the problems of the said community. Prior in working with Volunteer for the Visayans, she worked as an enumerator at Department of Social Welfare and Development. Leoma currently handles the role of Child Sponsorship Program Coordinator, overseeing the distribution of social welfare services of 144 children.

Crisel Macabare is a graduate from Leyte Normal University with a Bachelors Degree in Teaching. Prior to being appointed as Assistant Sponsorship Coordinator, Crisel was a local volunteer for VFV, working on both the Volunteer and Child Sponsorship Programs. Today, Crisel assists the Sponsorship Program in providing social welfare services for 144 disadvantaged children. Aside from this she is also responsible for coordinating the after-school tutorials for sponsored children in Bliss and assisting with facilitating communication with international child sponsors.

Price and Administrative Costs

VFV separates itself from other Child Sponsorship Program by deducting no administrative costs to cover the salaries and benefits of it’s employees. Due to the unique social enterprising model that is adopted by Volunteer for the Visayans.

This means that the whole of your $300 a year annual payment ($25 a month) will be used to provide the services for your sponsored child. If you’d like to find out more about sponsoring a child with Volunteer for the Visayans please feel free to contact us.