Palawan Project Thanks WE International Philippines
Posted By abee on 05.24.2010 • (0)
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The photographs on this site are generously taken by various photographers interested in supporting the mission and vision of WE International Philippines Inc. Contributing photographers: Marlon Hacia, Francis Gaerlan, Inna Ella
WE Scholar Graduates from University, Finds Employment
Posted By abee on 05.12.2010 • (0)
Archie Amago is a recent college graduate of the collaborative Student Sponsorship Program operated by WE International Philippines and Young Focus. Archie's talent and dedicated work ethic have led to his academic success as a college graduate, and has also led to his recent hiring as an employee with Ms. Djuna Rocha and Scarlet Begonia Flowers.
This position is a wonderful fit for the combination of Archie’s creative talent and the training he received as part of his business administration degree. After an initial period of being mentored by Ms. Rocha, Archie will certainly be a great addition to the Scarlet Begonia team. Archie is an inspiration to us and to the other students in the student sponsorship program, a real example that education and hard work do in fact create opportunities for success!
Archie has always been one of the most active students/teenagers at the student center and was the March 2010 winner of the "WE-Student of the Month Award", in the college student category. Archie's graduation from the City College of Manila with a degree in Business Administration has been a well-earned and much deserved accomplishment. Throughout his participation in the student sponsorship program, Archie has always demonstrated strong leadership skills, and a well developed ability to work with others.
Just weeks after his college graduation, Archie was a participant in the 10-day long WE-ExcelAsia training (a program which helped the participants significantly improve theirEnglish language ability). The skills Archie learned in the various WE sponsored workshops and seminars he attended throughout the program, have served Archie well, and he has frequently expressed his gratitude for all of the support WE has extended him.
Congratulations, Archie!!! WE are all extremely proud and excited for you and this new chapter of your life. WE would like to thank Djuna Rocha and Scarlet Begonia Flowers for believing in Archie, for recognizing his skills and ability, and for extending him this wonderful opportunity!
WE would also like to thank our partner in the Student Sponsorship Program, Young Focus, for the tireless effort of the entire Young Focus team in collaborating with us to make success stories like Archie a reality. WE wish both Archie and Scarlet Begonia Flowers continued success in the future!!!
Tagged As: Archie Amago, Poverty, Student Sponsrship, WE, WE International Philippines, WE Philippines, Young Focus
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Summer Training for WE College Sponsored Students by ExcelAsia
Posted By abee on 05.04.2010 • (0)
ExcelAsia kindly provided our student sponsorship program college students the opportunity to participate in its 10-day extensive training geared towards helping job-seekers gain the confidence and skills needed to find employment. Training was conducted by Jamie Wilson, a well-known and well-respected person in the Philippine music and theatre industries. The training was initially geared towards helping jobseekers gain employment but is also designed the training to be as “life-skills-oriented” as it was employment-centered: his approach was to inspire each participant to be a support resource for their fellow trainees.
The training included modules on how to handle job-interviews -- preparing the job-seeker with exercises on how to answer commonly-asked questions during interviews, and simulating different kinds of interviews; including those that involve 'difficult' interviewers: and how to best handle them; how best to answer difficult questions. Also included were debates and critical-thinking exercises as well as modules on how to effectively communicate.
Joi, the Coordinator for College Student Sponsorship, noticed that “when we first entered the training room, the students were apprehensive and nervous, especially after the first activity where they had to introduce themselves is English. They were shy and nervous. Two of the students actually cried because they were so nervous and scared, but after the first activity they were okay. It really helped that Kuya Jaime shared with them, and encouraged the students. At the end of the training, the change in the girls who had cried on their first day was unbelievably positive – they were so much more confident, and they had even developed the confidence to argue in English!”
WE would like to deeply thank Rita Ugarte, Luz Gonzales, Jamie Wilson and the whole ExcelAsia Team; as well as Chukri Prieto of RACKS, Maria Aguila, Annie Lim, Gisela Tiongson-Velasco of Jollibee Foundation, Diana Tan of Deli France, and Martin Garcia for sponsoring the meals for the students throughout the training. This event has had a tremendously positive impact on our students!
Tagged As: ExcelAsia, Nonprofit, Philippines, Poverty, Smokey Mountain, Sponsored Students, WE International, WE International Philippines, Youth
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WE Builds Smokey Mountain Basketball Court
Posted By abee on 04.23.2010 • (0)
WE International Philippines, in collaboration with Young Focus, Scotty Mackinnon, Dominic Uy and Mighty Sports, built the Nathan Dasilva Basketball Court that was inaugurated on Saturday, 13 February 2010.
It was an emotional inauguration as the basketball court was constructed in memory of Mr. Mackinnon’s best friend – an avid basketball player who passed away in his senior year of high school. Mr. Alex Compton of WE International Philippines hosted the event that turned lively as soon as sponsored students and finalists of last year’s Amazing Dance challenge performed for the community and all of the friends and partners of WE that were in attendance.
Immediately following the unveiling of the basketball hoops that officially marked the Nathan Dasilva basketball court open for the Smokey Mountain community, a shoot-out activity led by Philippine Basketball Association veteran player Will Antonio from Coca Cola in the PBA, and a Dunk exhibition was put on by PBA Import Jason Forte - a real treat for the Smokey Mountain Community!
The Dasilva family, who live in Canada, helped tremendously in making the construction of the court possible through the generous financial contribution they made to WE. The Smokey Mountain Athletic Commission (SMAC) was also instrumental in helping the project come to fruition, and they will play an instrumental role in the maintenance of the court and the organization of upcoming basketball tournaments. The basketball hoops were generously donated by the Uy family and Mighty Sports.
In the works are upcoming basketball clinics for both our sponsored students and the community as a whole. Thanks again to everyone who helped make this day possible!
Tagged As: Basketball, Nathan Dasilva, Philippines, Poverty, Smokey Mountain, WE International Philippines, WE Philippines, Young Focus
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WE International Philippines Launches WE Care – A Medical Care Program
Posted By abee on 03.10.2010 • (0)
On 21 February 2010, WE International Philippines, in collaboration with Young Focus, Mr. Chris Eberle, Dr. Martin Camara of Intercare and medical doctors from Makati Medical Center (MMC) led by pediatric pulmonologist Dr. Bong Rivera, launched the medical care program, “WE CARE”.
A total of fifteen doctors, including pediatricians, dermatologists, a chiropractic team, and nurses from MMC and St. Luke’s Hospital set up consultation booths in the Gawad Kalinga center in Tondo, Manila to conduct needs assessment, medical-history documentation and thorough medical check-up/assessment to over 200 of WE and Young Focus’ Sponsored Students in the Elementary, High School and University levels, as well as the Out-Of-School Youth group and some 65 in- and out- patients from the Child Center feeding program located on the Smokey Mountain dumpsite.
Private donors from abroad, through Chris Eberle funded and sourced for all medicines and clinical supplies from multi-vitamins and antibacterial medication to various specialized pediatric and adult medicines; which were dispensed immediately, based on the doctors’ prescriptions.
Intercare’s crucial involvement in WE CARE also enabled the identification of early signs of possible physical problems in most of the very young students. WE will now be able to monitor them and hopefully be able to help prevent commonly occurring problems through educational seminars and preventive care from Inetrcare’s chiropractic team.
By April, as a follow through of the initial medical assessment, WE CARE aims to setup a simple medical clinic inside the student center that will be manned by a doctor/nurse team at least one day per week thus ensuring a long-term healthcare support of the Young Focus students and babies and toddlers from the Child Center feeding program.
WE is deeply grateful to all who participated in this very important initiative, and helped make the opening of WE CARE an overwhelming success!
This is only the beginning what will be an ongoing program. WE plan to maintain regular WE CARE Medical Missions throughout the year, and deeply appreciate the willingness of so many to give of their time and donations – in cash, and in kind (medicines and medical supplies). Please let us know if you would like to support upcoming WE CARE events.
Tagged As: Medical Assistance, Medical Mission, Poverty, Smokey Mountain, Tondo, WE Care, WE International Philippines
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Smokey Mountain Scholars Fly to Boracay
Posted By abee on 01.25.2010 • (0)
WE saw this experience as an opportunity for the students to experience activities that they have never before dreamed would be possible. As they took time out to reflect on their thoughts and feelings about their experiences on this trip, the students expressed joy and gratitude for this opportunity, and awe at the beauty of nature and the goodness of God. WE expresses many thanks to our kind friends and partners that helped to make this team-building adventure a reality. This trip helped build the students self esteem, and allowed them to realize that with consistent hard work, great things can indeed happen. They have since returned to the Smokey Mountain community and have served to encourage their other fellow students to continue to work hard as well. Our students are beginning to have the hope to dream.
It was the first time for the students to fly in a plane, and their initial anxiety about flying was quickly replaced by excitement. On arrival in Boracay, the students were treated to new swimwear, beach games, a sunset sail on a paraw, paddle-surfing lessons and meals sponsored by supportive local business owners. On White Beach, the students met with Karen Cabrera and some members of Boracay’s Frisbee team, the Boracay Dragons, who volunteered to host a frisbee clinic for the students. Fire Dancers also entertained the students at dusk and they were in awe of the wealth of activities available to them on the island, including live music. Fireworks topped off the night which represented an unexpected exclamation to our weekend filled with ‘firsts’!
WE saw this experience as an opportunity for the students to experience activities that they have never had before dreamed would be possible. As they took time out to reflect on their thoughts and feelings about their experiences on this trip, the students expressed joy and gratitude for this opportunity, and awe at the beauty of nature and the blessings that life has to offer. WE expresses many thanks to our kind friends and partners that helped to make this team-building adventure a reality. This trip helped build the students self esteem, and allowed them to realize that with consistent hard work, great things can indeed happen. They have since returned to the Smokey Mountain community and have served to encourage their other fellow students to continue to work hard as well. Our students self-confidence is growing right before our very eyes and it is a pleasure to see them dare to dream.
Tagged As: Boracay, Nami, Nothing But Water, Poverty, SEAAIR, Smokey Mountain, TOMS, WE International, WE International Philippines
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WE International Philippines & CROCS Philippines takes students to Manila Ocean Park
Posted By abee on 12.13.2009 • (0)
On Saturday, December 12, 2009, CROCS Philippines’ Franco and Kitty Limjuco, along with their adorable daughters treated twenty Elementary sponsored students, including Abegail Ofiaza, a 4th grade student their family is sponsoring through school, to an unforgettable trip under the sea at Manila Ocean Park. Complete with the special and extensive display of various jellyfish from around the world, and a magical Mermaids show!
It was an incredibly fun and educational day for the students from Smokey Mountain, topped off by an early-Christmas party-like merienda of spaghetti showered with gifts: backpacks, school supplies and new CROCS shoes for all the children and a big bucket of Noche Buena groceries for their families!
The student coordinators were almost in crisis figuring out how to help carry all the gifts as the children could not carry them all! It was such a memorable day for our kids who were overwhelmingly happy.
Thank you so much again to CROCS Philippines for bringing so much joy to the children of Smokey Mountain!
Tagged As: crocs, Manila Ocean Park, Smokey Mountain, WE International Philippines
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Binan Clean Up & Relief Operation
Posted By abee on 11.10.2009 • (0)
One month after Ondoy struck Metropolitan Manila and surrounding areas taking many lives and displacing hundreds of thousands of people, thousands of families continue to live on the roofs of their submerged homes or crammed together in makeshift shelters.
With the help of the Local Government of Binan, WE visited one such elementary school-turned-shelter last October 21 to distribute relief goods – food, toiletries and clothes – to the families who have evacuated there from severely flooded areas in Binan. Classes were being conducted in the school grounds, tents substituting as ‘classrooms’ for the children to make room for five hundred families that were crammed into twenty or so classrooms.
While there, we were able to understand more fully the truly sad state certain areas like dela Paz were in. And so WE International Philippines joined with other organizations helping in the area to form Help Without Borders, a group that meets every Tuesday to carefully plan and determine the best path from relief towards rehabilitation and development in Binan.
Last Friday, November 6, WE International Philippines held two activities to help the communities in Biñan, Laguna. In the morning, with the help of the local government’s environment department, WE performed a large garbage clean up in the still flooded barangay of Malaban.
In the afternoon, WE International Philippines, through the generous donations of friends, family and companies locally and abroad and partners in Help Without Borders: Brent International School (that was able to secure considerable donations from ABS CBN), Save the Children, Springboard Foundation, Hope Worldwide Philippines, Young Focus and the Local Government of Binan were able to distribute food, water, hygiene kits (toothbrush, toothpaste, bath & laundry soap, alcohol), and clothes to 2,000 families! The event was a true testament to the benefits of collaborative effort.
The people of Binan, Laguna are deeply grateful as WE are overwhelmingly grateful for your continued support and for joining us help families rebuild lives, hopes and dreams.
Tagged As: BInan, Help Without Borders, Relief, WE International Philippines
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A Slice of Help
Posted By abee on 11.10.2009 • (0)
Officers of the Missionary Society, the School’s student service organization, are helping residents of the Philippines – one slice at a time. The officers – Amanda Dominguez ‘10, Emily Summit ‘10, Cam Parker ‘11, Will Schoder ‘10, Calla Chase ‘10, and Deane Schofield ’10 – as well as other student volunteers, held a pizza fundraiser at the Freeman Center during lunch on Tuesday, October 20, raising close to $400 for WE International Philippines (WEIP), an organization dedicated to raising awareness of and providing ways to respond to poverty in the Philippines. WEIP is currently working to help the victims of the most recent typhoon in the Philippines.
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