Ate Sweet’s Art & Story with Operation Blessing

Word of mouth has enabled us to continue enriching happy events for children. This has made us grow every year for the last 9. This event is an example of being referred and meeting new and old faces. I met the family of Ate Sweet Panlilio through her parents in Victory church. A number of her guests were from church as well.

After a month or so of planning we got to arrange an event in Operation Blessing office itself. Fifty kids from nearby Pasig community they support were present for a morning of interactive games, art workshop and story telling. The kids were also blessed with pack of school supplies, grocery items and packed lunch. The volunteers on the other hand were given nice souvenirs as well.

Ate Sweet’s mom, Ate Sheryl was as hands on ad you can get. She took the leadership in making sure everything was wonderful for everyone who participated. It was and will surely be a moment for all.

Filipino Parents Who Love Their LGBT Kids

Wouldn’t it be amazing to have Asian American parents who love their LGBT kids say that… on television… in Tagalog? In June, tune in to your local Asian Television station, and see for yourselves!

NQAPIA and the Asian Pride Project collaborated to develop a series of multilingual public service announcements (PSA)—short, beautiful videos of Asian American, South Asian, and Southeast Asian parents who love their lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) children.

Throughout the LGBT Pride Month, we are also releasing videos featuring other Asian, South Asian, and Southeast Asian parents of gay men, lesbian daughters, transgender, and genderqueer kids. Our goals are to diversify the faces of parents who have LGBT kids and to promote understanding and acceptance.

“Family is Still Family, Love is Still Love”

NQAPIA and parents developed a series of one-page, translated leaflets for parents who have LGBT kids. The multilingual leaflets answer basic questions about being LGBT and dispel common misperceptions. They are in nineteen (19) Asian languages and scripts—the largest number of languages ever translated from a single LGBT document.

National LGBT AAPI Conference

LGBT AAPIs across the country will come together for our National Conference in Chicago from August 6 to 9 to network, organize, agitate, educate, and build capacity of the nation’s LGBT AAPI community. Join the parents, their children, and activists around the country to come together and build community, solidarity, and our movement for social and cultural change.

Help build a better world for all LGBT Asian Americans, South Asians, Southeast Asians, and Pacific Islanders! We hope to see you at the 2015 National Conference!

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Source: http://www.nqapia.org/

Tatlong Yugto, Tatlong Babae Play

Some members of U! Happy Events core and volunteers responded to the invitation of partner JCI Princess to watch and learn from stories of three women. It is a play called Tatlong Yugto, Tatlong Babae. This was held at Girl Scouts of the Philippines Auditorium last August 28, 2015

Written by Partner, Michi Dimaano

The traditional mindset has always viewed women as the weaker sex, destined to be married off and to care for the household, while never being quite strong enough to do what the men could.

That is rarely the case nowadays, with the exception of conservatives who maintain these traditional beliefs. The current age has sparked a stronger generation of women who dare to defy the stereotype, from working in careers whose fields are dominated by men, to never being afraid of expressing themselves, despite what other people say.

However, perhaps the struggles of women before aren’t so different from the struggles of women today. Tatlong Yugto, Tatlong Babae, a play organized by Junior Chamber International Philippines, NaFlora Feminine Hygiene, and Ley La Salle, shed light on these struggles through the eyes of Marigold, Jasmine, and Petunia.

The monologues

The play starts off with the monologue of a mother of three, Marigold. She starts with her struggle of being a mother who dreams of returning to her life as a triathlete. One of her biggest hurdles is her husband, who restricts her from training. She mentions how her husband becomes unfair sometimes, but she dismisses it because they are partners. This monologue in particular shows how much a woman sacrifices whenever she decides to get married and have a family.

Next up is Jasmine, a teenager whose scene takes place in the bathroom where she was once trapped by her friend to prevent her from going to a concert. She narrates how she was raised; her mother was overprotective, with her being the only daughter in the family. She recalls a time where her mother scolded her for letting a gay friend sleep over at their house on the basis that because he was still a man, he could still take advantage of her. Her character reflects the struggles of young women today, who are taught that the world can be a horrible place for the feminine sex.

Last but definitely not the least is Petunia, the ballroom-dancing middle aged woman who made the crowd roar with laughter. She starts off by recording a dance video in her room while narrating her struggles as she approaches the age of 60, qualifying her as a senior citizen. She also shares about her love life, and while showing off her GoPro in true Titas of Manila fashion. Although she narrates the several difficulties that she has experienced, she has still managed to pursue the things that she wanted for herself, which speaks volumes.

The play ended with messages from each of the characters, saying that even though women face great struggles every day — from being restricted, to fearing their own safety — these should not stop them from achieving their goals. “Dapat huwag nating papabayaang mayroong humadlang sa mga pangarap nating lahat bilang babae.”

First impressions

In a brief interview after the show, the actresses shared their first impression of their individual scripts. “Looking back, parang nadaanan ko siya eh. So, kumbaga naging mas natural for me na i-act si Jasmine kasi nga nadaanan ko ‘yun, tapos ‘yung nanay ko ganun din siya. Tapos ngayon na pinapalabas namin siya tapos nagrereact yung mga tao parang, ‘Wow, hindi lang pala ako mag-isa’. I’m sharing the same experience with others. Mas naging attached ako sa character,” shares Karen Bongco, who plays Jasmine.

As for Wenah Nagales, who plays Marigold, “Ako, interesting ‘yung material para sa akin. Unang-una kasi siguro ka-age ko siya, pero wala pa rin akong asawa at wala pa rin akong anak at hindi ako triathlete. [laughs] Anyway, pero ang ganda lang nung idea na totoong pinagdadaanan siya ng babae. It’s a good venue para matulungan mo ‘yung mga kababaihan.”

Mosang, who plays Petunia, shares similar sentiments, but she candidly adds, “Ako, Petunia is very hard kasi unang-una hindi pa ako 60, 43 pa lang ako. Pangalawa, hindi pa ako naghohot flushes. Pangatlo, hindi ako masyadong active sa sex. Chos. [laughs]”

The play has been staged all around the Philippines, with each performance having a varied connection with the audience. What did the actresses think of the Lasallian audience?

“Well you’re all normal ha. Joke lang. [laughs]”, Mosang quips. On a more serious note, she adds, “Pero nakakatuwa kasi matatalino talaga ang mga audience ah, ang mga manonood natin ngayon ‘yung mga kabataan ngayon matatalino sila. Natutuwa ako because they can relate and I think ‘yung kwento niya (Tatlong Yugto, Tatlong Babae) in the near future maiintindihan ng mga lalaki.”

Nagales shares these sentiments, partly due to the difference in age between their characters and those of the student audience. On the other hand, Bongco commends the crowd for listening intently to the monologues, saying this helps them understand what other women in their life go through as well.

Women can

Tatlong Yugto, Tatlong Babae gave a glimpse of what women have to deal with in different stages of their life. It delivered a message that women can, despite the stereotypes given to them by society. These are things that women have to keep in mind, especially with the changing times.

Mosang gives a message to the women who watched the show and to those who will watch their future shows, sharing, “Mahalin mo yung pagkababae mo. Basta bigyan mo ng importansya ang pagiging babae mo. I know it’s malalim, pero nasa sarili mong interpretasyon. Hindi interpretasyon ng mundo, kundi interpretasyon mo.” Bongco adds, “Don’t be scared. Kasi yung point ng buong play is to empower women, and to be aware sa mga nangyayari sa isang babae.”

There is nothing to be ashamed of for being a woman, whether it’s the physical struggles that you go through, or the dreams that you want to pursue. You should not let restrictions imposed by others stop you from achieving your goals in life. With that, Nagales ends with these simple words, “Be yourself. Masaya. Don’t put your dreams on hold.”

Project PEARLS: Giving Hope and a Bright Future to the Poor Children in the Philippines

THE Philippines is considered a developing country, with its economic growth and boom in certain industries. However, these boom and bust cycles has little impact on reducing poverty in the country. In fact, the Asian Development Bank has said that, “poverty and inequality in the Philippines remains a challenge.”

There is a great divide and inequality across income brackets. With the country’s differing regions and sectors, as well as unmanaged population growth, poverty reduction in the Philippines has been slow.

The most affected are the children. Having nothing to eat, no safe shelter, no access to health care and education, these young people grow up just like how they lived—being poor. This adds on to the problem, making it near impossible to reduce the rate of poverty.

Aiming to protect and provide the basic human rights of the poorest of the poor children in the Philippines, Project PEARLS (Peace, Education, Aspiration, Respect, Love and Smiles) came to happen.

In 2008, Melissa Villa and her daughter, Francesca (who are based in San Jose, California), started a humble project to help a deaf and mute childhood friend, who was living in the Manila’s slums. They helped her send her two children to school.

Two years later, Manila-based Belgian photojournalist Sidney Snoeck posted on Facebook a photo of a child worker in Ulingan who was coated with soot and dirt from head to toe. Located in Tondo, Manila, Ulingan—the Filipino word for “charcoal factory”—is a small community in a reclaimed area of Manila’s North Harbor. The families living there worked to produce charcoal to sell and only earn a meager $2 a day. Apart from that, the living and working conditions in Ulingan is unsanitary and inhabitable.

From that photo, Villa, who is Project PEARLS’ Executive Director and Founder, knew she had to do something for those children. The two kids they sent to school then grew to at least 300 children being fed and taught every week, and to more than 300 scholars from pre-school to college.

With its mission to feed, educate, advocate and work for the basic human rights of the Filipino children living in poverty, Project PEARLS became their responsible voice. Their main goal is to help the children get out of poverty to enable them to achieve their dreams.

“We believe that education (and literacy) will break that vicious cycle of poverty,” said Villa.  “We offer scholarships from preschool to college; we run after school programs, summer programs, literacy clubs both for the youth and the adults.  We open educational opportunities for them to make them realize that their hopes and dreams of getting out of poverty are possible through education.”

She also shared that the first community they adopted in Tondo, Manila was recently relocated. Through Project PEARLS, the people were able to understand what were written in the proposal and agreement drafted by the government. “We helped this community by becoming their eyes, ears and voice; because most of them are illiterate,” Villa said.

Starting with only ten volunteers, Project PEARLS grew in numbers—with almost a hundred at present. They also adopted another community in Tondo, the Helping Land, but still continue to help the Ulingan families in their new location.

At present, Project PEARLS’ current programs include the Daily Soup Kitchen, Scholarship Program, Sunday After School Program, Brain Booster, Literacy Clubs, Birthday Program, and their Medical & Dental Mission.

“Future programs include expansion of our After School Program from once a week to daily and sustainable livelihood programs,” shared Villa and then added, “We also would like to bring Project PEARLS in the rural part of the Philippines.”

Although Project PEARLS have managed to get grants and donations from foundations and individuals, Villa admits that one major challenge is their funding.

“We have grown over the five years since we established in terms of the children and communities we are serving and the number of outreach programs we hold. Our funding and resources are still very limited,” she said. “Because of these limitations, not all of our scholars have sponsors; we can only feed a few hundreds of children; we cannot help all the children with urgent and emergency health cases.”

With this in mind, Villa would like to impart a message on helping others: “We are all blessed and privileged to be in the US and living that American Dream. And we can still help the least [fortunate] back home in the Philippines. These poorest of the poor children and communities do not have the same welfare benefits that the poor have here. There are children from these poorest communities who are already working so none of their family members will die of starvation overnight. We can all make a difference; we can all try to live simply so others can simply live.”

To help, volunteer, share, advocate, please check their website at www.projectpearls.org and follow them on Facebook: www.facebook.com/projectpearls1 and Instagram @projectpearls.

Project Pearls was registered with the Philippine Securities and Exchange Commission in 2011, as a non-stock, non-profit, and non-partisan organization and is a non-profit 5010 (c) (3) organization.

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Source: http://asianjournal.com/

Philippines’ 3rd Open Government Partnership (OGP) National Action Plan Invitation

Our core team was invited to participate by listening and reacting to the launch of the 3rd OGP or Open Government Partnership last August 31, 2015 at SMX Convention Center. It is the Philippines way of getting its citizen more aware and participate in its government projects. Secretary Florencio Abad gave a outstanding progress report of the country as well as a challenge to be more vigilant on government actions.

After having suffered through a decade when corruption and impunity flourished in government, an exasperated Filipino people opted for change. They elected a reluctant President committed to a platform of “Kung Walang Corrupt, Walang Mahirap” (No Corrupt, No Poor).

From the very start, the Administration acknowledged that reform would not succeed if it was undertaken by government alone. The support and participation of the people was needed to counter powerful political and economic interests that would oppose and derail reform efforts. It was only through an open government that the people could participate and own reform efforts.

Amidst much political opposition in the early part of the administration, government launched a battery of initiatives aimed at strengthening transparency, participation and accountability in government. Such initiatives include the disclosure of financial and budgetary information, participatory budgeting and participatory audits, running after corrupt revenue officials, sending corrupt senior officials to jail, adoption of new technologies to improve transparency and accountability in government procurement, and incentive programs to promote good governance among local governments.

Three years into the administration, we are now beginning to reap the benefits of open government – our President enjoys an unprecedented sustained trust rating of over 70% and the country has received its very first investment grade.

In the second half of the Aquino Administration, the challenge will be to ensure that more people, especially the poor and those in the margins, directly benefit from the dividends of an open government. This will require greater commitment from both government and non-government reform champions and stakeholders, to ensure that open government practices take root in the bureaucracy and become the norm in government.

Written by Kuya Harvard - U! Happy Events

Refugee Crisis: What Can You Do To Help?

From donating to a charity to volunteering – here is a guide to some of the practical ways that individuals can contribute

The shocking image of a boy who drowned trying to flee the war in Syria has prompted calls for governments to do more to tackle the refugee crisis, but what can individual citizens do to help?

So far Germany has put other nations to shame with plans to take 800,000 asylum seekers this year. There has also been a series of impressive voluntary campaigns and gestures, from Refugees Welcome – a scheme for sharing homes with those fleeing conflict and persecution described as ”an Airbnb for refugees” – to a professional football club fielding a third team made up entirely of refugees.

By contrast the response of the British media has been characterised by fear rather than compassion, but there are plenty of ways that individuals can offer support. We want to hear about how you’ve helped those seeking asylum. But in the meantime, here’s a guide about some of the ways you can contribute.

Give Money

A number of charities and non-governmental organisations have opened appeals specifically aimed at helping the plight of refugees. Various organisations spell out exactly what a specific donation could provide. Here’s a sample:

Migrant Offshore Aid Station: The charity which runs independent rescue boats to rescue migrants at risk of drowning has seen a huge spike in donations since pictures of the drowned Syrian boy emerged.

Médecins Sans Frontières: The humanitarian agency has three rescue ships in the Mediterranean, on Tuesday alone they rescued 1,658 people in its biggest day of operations.

Aylan Kurdi Fund: A specific fund named in honour of the drowned boy was set up within 24 hours of the circulation photographs of his body emerging. All proceeds will go to the humanitarian agency Hand in Hand for Syria.

Refugee Council: A donation of £100 could pay for the education and travel for two children for a week.

Unicef: The UN’s children’s charity is providing life-saving supplies such as clean water, medicine and psychological support. It says a donation of £9 could provide an emergency water kit for a family.

Save the Children: It says a donation of £50 could buy two hygiene kits including soap, towels and toothbrushes.

British Red Cross: A donation of £30 could buy 28 mats to help Syria refugees cope with the cold.

Islamic Relief: Three families could be fed for a month on a donation of £210, the charity says.

The crowdfunding website Just Giving has a list of specific appeals for migrants in Calais. It includes one of students trying to raise £750 to buy mobile phones, footballs, camping equipment, dictionaries, storage boxes, sanitary items and waterproof clothing.

The UNHCR is running camps, providing shelter and aid to refugees in Turkey, Jordan, Lebanon, as well as helping refugees across Europe.

Other Donations

It is not only cash that can help.

Refugee Action is offering to take old cars as donations. It says the last scrap car it took raised £126 for refugees. It is also looking for old mobile phones and even printer cartridges.

A Facebook group Music Against Borders is looking for musical instruments for migrant musicians in Calais.

Teacher Mary Jones is looking for donations of books for her Jungle Books library named after the Calais migrant camp.

The grass roots campaign Calais Action is urging supporters to donate in any way they can. It has put together a map of drop-off and collection zones.

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Source: http://www.theguardian.com/

Ate Rizza’s Dream Catcher with Philippine Children’s Medical Center

Storm Lando came to the country and we had hesitations to push through with this experience. Thanks to each one’s stronger hearts, we made it happen despite challenges of wind and rain. Birthday celebrant, Ate Rizza Prado came with her mom and friends. They all braved the activity and was game to everything we prepared.

From gloomy atmosphere to happy vibes! We set up in the activity area and got 23 young patients with their guardians to participate. We had an entertaining set of volunteers who danced in front and then we proceeded to play our game, Show Me Your Face. Each group tried to outperform others by showing the best expressions I asked. I challenged teams to show fear, constipated and extreme happiness.

After which was the Bubble Show. Kuya Allan delighted the children with small to life size flying bubbles. The weather kind of cooperated. We were able to make them bigger and travel around the big area. Some children were even willing to go inside the biggest bubbles. Don’t breathe I said. :)

Kuya Robby took the helm to teach the crowd, Dream Catchers. Using only three materials- plastic paper plates, old colorful clothes and scissors we were able to make relevant souvenirs for their beds as the children heal. Dream Catchers are often used to keep children from having nightmares. We believe they can create big dreams and achieve them.

As we ended the happy morning, we distributed food and story books to each child. We also took the time to hear from Ate Rizza after she blew her birthday cake. Make dreams happen with our assistance!

Newly-single Nicole Scherzinger Mends Her Broken Heart with a Charitable Visit to Poverty-stricken Children in the Philippines

Nicole Scherzinger reflected on her spent time with the children of poverty-stricken Manila on Friday afternoon.

The singer, who is currently going through a break up with her boyfriend of eight years Lewis Hamilton, posted adorable pictures of a visit to the worst-affected areas of The Philippines, where she met children living in dangerous, overcrowded communities around the capital.

Nicole, 36, visited Southeast Asian country with Unicef, later saying she 'fell in love' with the beautiful children on what was an 'inspiring' day.

All smiles: Nicole Scherzinger smiled as she visited poverty-stricken children in Manila, The Philippines on Friday

She captioned the photos: 'I'm in the #Philippines with @Unicef_UK seeing how they support vulnerable children. I'm in love with the kids I've met, so special each one of them!'

Nicole called the experience, 'Such an honor and blessing to spend time w/ these beautiful children'.


In one image, she coos over an adorable tot up, lifting them into the air and continuing her caption by saying, 'Esp this lit' one today. Despite tough conditions these kids are so inspiring!'

Fallen in love: Nicole fell head over heels for one tot who she swung in the air and cooed over

Being of Filipino heritage herself, Nicole was interested to spend a day with the world's leading organisation - which fights for the well-being of children in 190 countries across the globe - as part of their Children In Danger campaign.

Many of the families Nicole met at the Baseco Compound, near the main port in Manila, would have been battling poverty, hunger, disease and the risk of violence.


She spoke to Unicef about her harrowing experience, saying: 'I'm part Filipina so I have a strong connection with the country and feel I have a responsibility to do what I can and bring awareness to the dangers that Filipino children face everyday.

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Source: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/

Ate Sweet’s Art & Story with Operation Blessing

Word of mouth has enabled us to continue enriching happy events for children. This has made us grow every year for the last 9. This event is an example of being referred and meeting new and old faces. I met the family of Ate Sweet Panlilio through her parents in Victory church. A number of her guests were from church as well.

After a month or so of planning we got to arrange an event in Operation Blessing office itself. Fifty kids from nearby Pasig community they support were present for a morning of interactive games, art workshop and story telling. The kids were also blessed with pack of school supplies, grocery items and packed lunch. The volunteers on the other hand were given nice souvenirs as well.

Ate Sweet’s mom, Ate Sheryl was as hands on ad you can get. She took the leadership in making sure everything was wonderful for everyone who participated. It was and will surely be a moment for all.

How You Can Help the Victims of Typhoon Lando

Typhoon Lando—now downgraded to a Tropical Storm—is slowly leaving the Philippine Area of Responsibility, but it has left death and destruction in its wake.

As of Tuesday evening, the official death toll stands at 18, according to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council.

Meanwhile, hundreds of thousands of Filipinos have been displaced by the storm. In a press briefing, NDRRMC executive director Alexander Pama said that 121,841 families or 560,570 persons in Regions I, II, III, IV-A, V, NCR, and CAR have been affected by Lando. Of this number 23,867 families or 107,719 persons are now in evacuation centers, while 70,736 families or 321 persons were outside evacuation centers.

If you want to donate money or goods to the victims of Typhoon Lando, or help out in the relief efforts, check out our list of groups and institutions taking donations and accepting volunteers below.

In addition to these, GMA's Operation Bayanihan telethon is underway; just call 981-1950 if you want to pledge your help.

Ate Rio’s Accessory Making Workshop with Nayon ng Kabataan

At U! Happy Events, we organize a great number of outreach events sponsored by awesome volunteers who are celebrating special occasions, most of which are birthdays. It is amazing to see how birthday blessings are extended even to kids who are in need. It was an extra special time for us last September 27 though, because not only was the birthday celebration of ate Rio Villamor an outreach for the kids of Nayon ng Kabataan in Mandaluyong, but her entire family was there to be hands-on at the event too!

We started off the afternoon by grouping the kids and volunteers, and asking them to get to know each other. Friends and relatives of ate Rio’s family were present, and were excited to get acquainted with the kids. Once done, a magic show commenced, hyping up the kids and kids at heart. To keep up the hype, we proceeded with our game, Pass the Message. This one was pretty exciting, as Kuya Harvard whispered the answer to kids in front of the line, and who had to pass the answer via acting out the answer, and passing it to all the rest in line. The winner of the game would be the team who got the most number of guesses right.

After several competitive rounds, we invited ate Blanca to do the accessory making workshop, which was friendship bracelets for the kids and volunteers. It was such a fun moment seeing everyone bonding over their craft making! A snack booth, ice cream booth, and cotton candy booth were also available for everyone to enjoy while doing their creations.

To cap off the event, the kids were given gifts and cupcakes courtesy of ate Rio and her family. Wishing ate Rio a happy birthday, everyone present also gave released their wish balloons up in the sky! The heartwarming afternoon was completed by a group photo, after which the kids and volunteers exchanged their thank you’d and good byes.

5 Ways to Volunteer in Metro Manila This Weekend

Weekends are all about having fun, resting the body and the mind. But have you ever considered recharging your heart? Try volunteering in these places in the middle of the Metro and see how much you can give — and how much more you can gain from the experience.

After a long week of hard work, computers, traffic, and work stress, where do you find rest?

For a lot of us, work-life balance comes in the form of food, leisure activities, surrounding ourselves with friends and best of all, burying ourselves in our beds. Our weekends are spent recharging our bodies and our minds, but is that really enough? Resting is not always enough. Sometimes, even having fun on the weekends isn’t enough to set apart one dreary Monday from another. Sometimes, we should ask ourselves: What recharges your heart?

If you’re not sure how to answer that question yet, here’s a suggestion — spend your weekend volunteering. Yes, you’re giving up your time but you’re also gaining things in return. Whatever it is you’re passionate about (e.g. music, the environment, children, fitness), there will most likely be a group that caters to that interest and will allow you to express your love for it in a way that also helps others. On the other hand, volunteering for causes outside of your interests will help you get out of your comfort zone, and you might even develop new skills to help you do better at work. You get to meet new people, and somehow you also get to meet yourself anew.

To give you an extra push, we at Kalibrr have compiled a list of a few places you can start out with on the path to becoming a weekend volunteer warrior even in the middle of Metro Manila.

iVolunteer Philippines

Visit http://ivolunteer.com.ph/

iVolunteer Philippines is a site that links NGO’s and various outreach activities in need of manpower with willing and able volunteers who are eager to put themselves to good use. Think of it as a form of matchmaking for the benefit of society.  iVolunteer is a platform customized to reach the people of today and they definitely walk their talk – they’re 100% powered by volunteers. You can find projects by location and by category (Children & Youth, Education, Environment, Health, and Poverty). A quick look at the front page will also show you the events you can sign up for.

U! Happy Events

2610 Raffles Corporate Center, F. Ortigas Road,
Ortigas Center Pasig City, Philippines 1605
Landline: +632 9755276/ +632 5763170
Mobile : +63917 8874278/ +63918 8884278
E-mail: shoutout@uhappyevents.com
Visit http://uhappyevents.com/

U! Happy Events is a non-government organization organizes events for underprivileged children. They seek to serve both the children and to reach the people who want to help these children but don’t know how. They have a project almost every week and even on weekdays, if it fits your schedule. All the activities are fun and light, like kite-flying, accessory making workshops, and storytelling workshops.

If your company doesn’t have an outreach event yet, U! Happy Events partners with companies and groups, as well.

A-HA! Learning Center

9708 C. Pililia St.
Brgy. Valenzuela, Makati 1200
Mobile: +632 918-979-3629
Landline: +632 804-0091
Email: ahalearningcenter@gmail.com
Visit https://www.facebook.com/ahalearning

A-HA! Learning Center is a small NGO based in Makati that tutors public school children from the surrounding community. The A-HA tutors teach kids from 1st grade to 4th year high school in English, Math and Science. As tutors, you’ll be expected to teach anywhere from 5-15 kids at a time – alternating between teaching and playing with them. The center has sessions on weekdays as well as weekends. If you aren’t available to tutor but you think you can teach the kids another skill, go ahead and contact A-HA!

Fairplay For All Foundation

Email: ffafoundation@gmail.com
Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/fairplayforallfoundation/

Located in a small two-storey house on Bicol Road, Payatas, The Fairplay For All Foundation started out as a free football clinic and grew into a drop-in center where kids from the community go to learn, play, and just be children.

At the center, the children are given the freedom to choose their activities and voice out what it is they really want to study. In turn, Fairplay For All creates these opportunities to learn — mainly through volunteers. They are always looking for people who can teach not only subjects you’ll find in school but extra-curricular things like dance and even yoga. Get in touch with them at ffafoundation@gmail.com and find out how you can contribute to their cause.

Philippine Animal Welfare Society (PAWS)

PAWS Animal Rehabilitation Center (PARC)
Aurora Boulevard, Katipunan Valley
Loyola Heights, Quezon City (beside Superlines)
*Closed on Sundays and Holidays
Visit http://www.paws.org.ph/

The Philippine Animal Welfare Society, more popularly known as PAWS, is a registered NGO that focuses on protecting and promoting the humane treatment of animals. Their compound in Quezon City houses dogs and cats all rescued from either cruelty or neglect. They take care of the animals in the hope that they will be able to find new homes and better lives. According to their site, they can receive an average of around 50 calls  a day concerning animal welfare.

If you want to help out at PAWS, you can choose among many roles and tasks you can fill such as: Office Assistant, Adoption Team, Match-Maker, Adoption Follow-up, Clinic Technician Assistant, Foster Care, Animal Rescue Team, Dog Training and Rehabilitation Team, Campaigns, Pet-Facilitated Therapy, Spay-Neuter Team, Fundraising Events, Lobbying and legal work.

Make sure though that you’re committed. Volunteers must be prepared to render at least eight hours a month doing work with PAWS for the animals.

Work doesn’t have to come in the way of lending a hand. If you volunteer regularly and you know more places to volunteer at, share the love and let us know.

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Source: https://www.kalibrr.com/

Takbo Breast Friends Year 4 with Tuklasan

As partners with Soroptimist Ortigas we get to be invited in their annual run for Breast Cancer. On our fourth year, we got more volunteers to participate. 10 children from Tuklasan center in Tondo (they just transferred from San Juan) joined us with 8 of our core team members. One of the children, JB won first place on the 3k below 12 category. It was definitely a moment to celebrate.

A Summer of Service for Transcom Cares Volunteers in the Philippines

Summer in the Philippines usually covers the months of April to June. It is during this time that Filipinos go back to their provinces for vacation or children go into summer sports programs. It was during this time that Transcom Cares decided to spend time with the neglected in society – the less fortunate children, and the neglected elderly.

In April, we went to Tuloy Foundation, a non-profit organization that “provides residential care services for children and youth”. The foundation offers an alternative to life in the streets.  At the foundation, the children chose to give up the life in the streets to have a home, a second family, and an education. They also learn to play football and rugby. At the Tuloy village the children get the opportunity to embrace a life of discipline, and to work on their potential to one day become a productive member of the society.

This was a momentous experience as it was Transcom Cares’ first in playing football. All the 26 volunteers were in for a fun day, they even had a chance to be a part of a team and compete with each other. All in all, the scorching heat of the sun could not take away the enjoyment that everyone had that day.

In May, we visited Anawim, a small facility for poor and abandoned elderly people who had been left to roam the streets. The foundation served as a home and a sanctuary for the neglected elderly.

Our day started out with the “getting-to-know phase”. One volunteer or two were assigned to an elder to listen to life stories. This was followed by a simple but delicious meal shared by everyone. To cap it off, our volunteers serenaded the residents with classical Filipino songs and offered roses for them. This gesture from our 45 volunteers was a timely gift as it was also Mother’s Day.

The last stop for summer was in June at Concordia Children’s Services. This place take care of neglected and abandoned children, and the urban poor children deficient of opportunities to safer homes and decent life. The organization provide educational assistance, character-building activities, and skills training. Our 14 volunteers, some of whom were fresh from their shift, fed the children and played with them.

While many other people vacationed and engaged in athletic activities, Transcom Cares reached out to those who needed some love and warmth. It was touching to see the kids and the elderly beam with joy at welcoming us and our gifts for them. Our summer of service left us not only with precious memories, but also taught us extraordinary lessons as well.

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Source: http://blog.transcom.com/

Ate Sheila’s Pen & Paper Year 4 with Right Start

Some events are meant to be continued and then they become a tradition. Since core team leader, Sheila de Leon Tracey left 3 years ago for the United States, her heart to reach out to her country remained. She is one of our 5 core team ambassadors. Welcome to the fourth year of interactive activities and school supply giving called Pen & Paper.

Ate Sheila arrived that same morning- excited and all smiles. She hasn’t been back in the Philippines for more than a year. Greeting her arrival were a number of co-core team members- most she is meeting for the first time. We were glad 20 other volunteers responded and showed up to reach out to 30 kids of Right Start.

Before distributing packs of notebooks, pad paper, colors and pens, we had getting to know and two interactive games with 5 teams. First we played was Cone Me If You Can. Teams show their math answers by raising up cones on their heads. Second was a Quiz Bee made Pen & Paper style. Individuals of each team write down tough answers for different categories. We had English, History, Filipino, Math and Geography categories.

Thank you Sheila for keeping the outreach alive. We look forward for the 5th next year on your special day!

Volunteer with Street Children in the Philippines

By volunteering with street children, you can help provide inspiration, education and support to some of the Philippines most undeserved and underprivileged children.

Sadly, it is not uncommon in the Philippines to see children begging for food and sleeping on the sidewalk. Some of these children live at home but spend their day on the street instead of attending school. Others have left home permanently. As international food prices grow and little is done to improve the lives of socioeconomically stressed families, the street children ‘problem’ continues to grow with yet more and more children appearing on the streets of Ormoc City.

These children come from dysfunctional homes where typically there are poverty, violence, neglect, or addiction issues. Many have left home to escape from abusive treatment. Others have resorted to begging in the streets because there is no food in the home. Street children typically sniff rugby (a brand of glue) to overcome hunger pains and cope with depression. Most of the street children are malnourished and in poor health, and vulnerable to sexual exploitation and recruitment by street gangs.

As an international volunteer in the Philippines, you will be able to assist in taking measures to improve the lives of some of the least fortunate children in the country by volunteering to provide educational & recreational services.

Volunteers will be placed in a shelter/rehabilitation facility for street children in Ormoc City that is operated by the Social Welfare and Development agency.

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Source: http://www.visayans.org/

Ate Maggie’s Story Telling Workshop with Young Focus

Most people hear the word “Tondo” and the words rowdy, scary, and dangerous will most probably be what come to mind. With a great majority there living below the poverty line, it is easy to cast off Tondo as a place you wouldn’t want to visit. What not a lot of people know however is that amidst this ‘rowdy’ place are great hearts, sweet children, and helpful people, needing all the love and support we can give. That is why we are truly appreciative of our Tondo-based partner beneficiaries, and our sponsors who choose to do their events in the area.

Last October 4, U! Happy sponsor ate Maggie and her family shared their blessings to Tondo-based community partner, Young Focus. We started the event with customary Getting-to-know, as we asked ate Maggie, her family, and her friends to go onstage and share their talent. It was a great way to make the children comfortable, and we then assigned the volunteers to each group of kids so they could bond with each other. Next up was a magic show which ate Maggie wanted the kids to experience, as everyone oohed and aahed at all the magic tricks, including a levitating table.

For the workshop proper, resident actor and story-teller Kuya Rich went in front and led everyone to try out some story-telling basics and confidence building exercises. As the workshop progressed, you could see that the children were getting more and more at home with the volunteers and very open to learning from Kuya Rich! We ended the workshop with a fun story-telling activity where the teams depicted various everyday scenes like attending church, eating dinner, etc.

To re-energize the kids, we handed out lunch to everyone present. But ate Maggie’s surprises weren’t over yet, as we did the final activity–dancing! I was privileged to lead the kids and volunteers, and we danced to the songs ‘Alive’ and ‘Happy’, both fitting words to describe the day. We capped of the afternoon with a group photo and handing out loot bags for the children. We also greeted ate Maggie a happy birthday and the children all hugged the volunteers goodbye.

What Happened When a Small Church Prayed to Reach Families with Children

Heather Dunn was barely seventeen, alone and pregnant. A newcomer in a small mountain town where she knew no one, the last place she wanted to go was church.   But wanting to get out of the house, she accepted an invitation to attend the Wednesday night youth outreach event at Happy Zion General Baptist Church in Annapolis, MO.

“I had my defenses up,” Dunn said. “I was a pregnant teenager and a high-school drop-out, so I expected shame, judgment and ridicule, because that’s what I got everywhere else. But, my stomach was hungry, and I was also very lonely, so I went.”

What Dunn found was the exact opposite of her expectations. “Everyone was very loving, warm and kind. My own family didn’t show me these emotions, so I was shocked that people in the church would treat me with such compassion. I continued to attend for the few short weeks before my son, Jacob (JJ) was born.”

The birth came early and JJ was very ill, near death. He was moved to a children’s hospital two hours away. Dunn remembers receiving cards and visits from church people she didn’t even know.   Additionally, when she returned, the adults from the youth meeting came to her tiny trailer and brought her food and encouragement.

“I had zero skills as a mother and even less maturity, but the ladies in the church would sit and talk to me and listen to me. They prayed with me and helped me. They spent time teaching me how to take care of JJ, not only did I learn how to be a mother, but I also learned about the saving grace of Jesus Christ.” Dunn became a regular youth at the weekly Wednesday ministry.

Because of Happy Zion’s youth outreach, the local public school was filled with children who attended on Wednesdays. Due to the friendships she made with these high school kids, and encouragement from the Principal, Dunn re-enrolled in high school and graduated. “All the while, even through my immature ugly periods, the men and women from Happy Zion continued to show me love and help,” she said.

When she was twenty, she was asked to help with a pre-school class on Wednesday nights. Because she related well to junior-high age and teenagers, she was almost immediately tapped to help with the older youth, where she eventually became the High School Director, leading a number of children to the Lord, and helping others as she was helped.

That was nearly twelve years ago.   Dunn, who is now in her late 20’s, has since married and had more children.

Russ Collins, deacon at Happy Zion, remembers the early years of the Wednesday night program.

“It began in 2002 when our pastor’s wife invited three or four un-churched children to come on Wednesday nights for snacks and a Bible story. Those three or four children each invited four or five more, and before we knew it, we had about 100 un-churched young people on Wednesday nights, many who came from broken homes, living in difficult situations with little knowledge of who or what Jesus might be.”

From 2002 until 2015 Collins says the weekday ministry has steadily grown, and the church eventually added classes for all ages, 3-18. The average attendance ranges from 50 to 100 per week. The children play for half an hour, then are provided a meal, followed by Bible teaching and share time. Additional Bible study classes have been added for adults, many of whom came because of their children’s involvement with the youth program.

In the past twelve years, over 100 children have accepted Christ because of the weekday ministry. The church eventually added community-wide events three to four times a year which include Back-To-School Bash, Out-Of-School Bash, and other things such as lock-ins, bon fires, trips to the zoo and delegations to Dare To Share. The community events regularly draw 150-250 people. Considering the town’s population is only 350, this is a large-scale crowd for the area.

Collins said in the beginning of the program, the church prayed the Lord would send families with children.   “What we found,” he said, “was God often sent us children with no parents attending.”

Individuals within the church rose to the challenge and took on the leadership of providing love, discipline, care, opportunity and accountability. “Many of these children lacked family structure. It was our responsibility to love them, train them, nurture them and teach them. We had to give them what they couldn’t get anywhere else.”

Heather Dunn, for one, is extremely grateful.

“Without Happy Zion, I don’t know what would have happened to me, or to JJ. They not only shared their love with me, but they shared the love of Christ, which has defined who I’ve become as a wife, mother, friend, and servant of the Lord.”

As proof of God’s faithfulness, both of Dunn’s older children recently accepted Christ and were baptized. JJ, who is almost twelve, and Dunn’s middle child, Emma, who is six, are regular attendees of the Wednesday night program. Dunn still has a leadership role with the group.

Dunn concludes, “My years in the Happy Zion program made me see I absolutely had to raise my children in a Christian home. There was no question, I had to do the right thing. Had it not been for Happy Zion and the people there, I would have never even known what the right thing was. God used them to change me forever. The salvation and baptism of my own children are proof of what Wednesday nights did for me.”

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Source: http://www.redshedwriter.com/

NumberWorks’nWords Tutorial with Little Lights 12 of 12

It’s been said time and again that the best gift you can give a child is the gift of education. Not everyone though has the access to quality education, despite the great need today for kids to have such. That is why we feel very blessed to have sixteen children from community-based partner NGO, Little Lights Ministry, undergo Math and English tutorials via our generous sponsor, Number Works N’ Words.

Last Wednesday was a special day for all of us, because the Little Lights kids had their final exam, closing program and graduation at Number Works. After 12 meetings, that day was the culmination of everything they learned. The kids were divided in two batches, one to take the Math test first and the other batch the spelling test, and then vice versa. It was amazing to see how much the kids had improved in their skills, evident in the speed of some in answering the test questions and their excitement for the awarding.

After the tests, the kids were then awarded certificates of completion, and several were recognized for outstanding accomplishments. Awards included best in English, best in Math, and Most Improved, among others.

To celebrate their graduation, we brought the kids and the Number Works teachers to eat and cap off the awesome experience. The kids also had several surprises–a song and dance number, and handmade Thank You cards! We would like to thank Number Works N’ Words for giving the kids this amazing opportunity.

Philosophy Prof Encourages Teaching Philosophy To Kids

Most people think of philosophy as such a weighty subject it can only be studied at the college level, but Dr. Claire Katz, a professor of philosophy and women’s and gender studies at Texas A&M University, says that idea is wrong.

“Children in elementary, junior and senior high schools are taught that critical thinking is more about problem solving the way math, science or engineering problems are solved. Critical thinking in philosophy is more about learning to ask questions – the ‘big’ questions – most of which have no definitive right or wrong answer but which nonetheless compel us to keep searching for those answers,” says Katz.

“It is about learning to read and think critically and imaginatively, to notice what is both present and absent in what we read and hear,” she adds. “It is about being asked to provide evidence or support for one’s view and to ask that of others. Philosophical dialogues, unlike other kinds of conversations, have a forward trajectory. It might not look like it at times, but we are trying to move the dialogue in a forward direction.”

Katz uses a series of books specially designed to fit different age-developmental levels and each with characters facing different philosophical and ethical questions. Using these books as a starting point, the children learn to ask a wide range of philosophical questions such as what does it mean to be a friend, how do I know if I am dreaming or awake, what is the nature of government and ethical questions including those about bullying, e.g., do they have a responsibility to stop bullying?

She explains that the discussion of a philosophical problem from various points of view helps children see the problem from many different sides and encourages them to reason what might be right and wrong based on how well a position or view can be supported. The different perspectives move students to an increasingly more sophisticated and nuanced understanding of not only ethical questions but also other philosophical questions.

Most children already know that making ethical decisions is complex — teaching them philosophical reasoning validates that experience and provides intellectual tools for dealing with that complexity, Katz notes. For this reason, she says she believes the philosophy for children program provides a better approach for addressing bullying than just declaring “bullying is wrong,” and then telling kids not to do it. Children learn to think through the ethical problem and understand the reasons why bullying or other such behaviors might be wrong.

Katz says this program has already demonstrated that it is an effective approach for addressing not only bullying but other ethical issues found in schools today such as respect, tolerance and peer pressure. She notes that this video featuring the Rokeby primary school in London, shows the school firmly believes the introduction of a philosophy for children program not only improved their students’ intellectual development but also their emotional and moral development.

Katz, the author of a book that offers new insight into the importance of education and its potential to transform democratic society – “Levinas and the Crisis of Humanism” – says she has long been an advocate of teaching philosophical reasoning to children. (Her book is available here).

“Philosophy for Children is near and dear to me — and with the outpouring of interest and support, I find it almost humorous to remember when I first studied for a master’s degree in this program in 1987, no one had heard of philosophy for children and everyone to whom I mentioned the program was skeptical,” she notes.

While it is generally believed kids can’t reason, or reason well, Katz recalls an enlightening experience while working with a group of middle school students at St. Francis Catholic School in Salisbury, Md, while she also was teaching at Salisbury University. A conversation with a 6th grade teacher at St. Francis led to combining one of her college level philosophy classes with her class at St. Francis for a philosophical discussion.

She found the results were amazing.

“The passionate discussion centered on animal rights and the ethics of animal research. In watching the discussion, I would not have been able to tell the difference between the two groups of students, and the level of their reasoning and discussion, except for the fact that the young students wore school uniforms,” Katz explains. “The two groups showed the utmost respect for each other, even when the discussion became intense.”

While teaching philosophy to children was almost unheard of when Katz first became interested in the program, it has gained momentum through centers such as the Institute for the Advancement of Philosophy for Children.

“This is the original program, on which all the others are modeled. Mat Lipman, the founder, along with Ann Sharp, died not long ago. But I am so glad he was able to live to see the enthusiasm for this program grow both nationally and internationally,” Katz says.

She is holding workshops for teachers that can help them develop philosophy programs in their schools. One such workshop – “Thinking in Action: Creative Reasoning, Critical Reflection and Philosophy for Children” – is planned for July 8 from 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. in Rudder Tower, Room 701.

By presenting workshops for teachers, Katz says she believes the teachers will not only see these children awaken intellectually but they might be better able to help address some of the issues such as bullying, conduct and ethical behavior in their schools.

The best part for Katz? “The kids love this program! You can see the immediate impact on them as they learn to ask philosophical questions and observe their own thinking improve. Kids of any school age can learn to do philosophy. I’ve seen this happen every single time I’ve worked with kids.”

For more about this and future workshops, contact Dr. Martha Green with Texas A&M’s Public Partnership & Outreach, at (979) 862-6700 or mgreen@tamu.edu. Public Partnership & Outreach in the Office of the Provost provides outreach services to enhance the relationships and scholarly engagement of faculty, departments and colleges with the goal of strengthening the university’s service to the people of Texas.

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Source: http://today.tamu.edu/

NumberWorks’nWords Tutorial with Little Lights 11 of 12

Just two days left and the kids of Little Lights will graduate on their 6 week course or 12 sessions of Math and English tutorials. I witnessed glittering eyes of excitement as they commemorate their hard work come Wednesday.

Ate Pam of NumberWorksn’Words together with 6 volunteers came up with something different for this session. The children who are not in their computer stations play a market game where they transact imaginary money from each other. In example, one buys from a market vendor who is his or her classmate. It was a fun way to apply weeks of constant training.

As Wednesday comes, I am eager to see the smiles of each child as they get certificated and acknowledged for what they have accomplished. I also realized that this effort was created by a number of people serving together- the group of NumberWorksn’Words, Pastor Joseph and wife Sister Jeanette, our core team and the volunteers who made their way in any of the sessions. It is indeed true that it takes a village to raise a child. See you Wednesday!

Synchrony Financial Employees Volunteer for Children During Diversity Symposium

STAMFORD, Conn. & ORLANDO, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--More than 200 employees of Synchrony Financial (NYSE:SYF), a premier consumer financial services company with 80 years of retail heritage, volunteered at two community events to benefit children during the 2015 Global Diversity Network Symposium held in Orlando September 28-30.

“Synchrony Financial’s ongoing support enables us to better prepare our children for a lifetime of achievement”

Employees took part in two separate events, benefiting children with Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Florida:

Financial literacy sessions for 100 students in grades 4, 5 and 6, were led by 15 employees, using curriculum materials from Operation Hope. The students were guided in understanding banking basics and the importance of saving, as well as learning about empowerment, responsibility and hope as tools to help take control of their financial futures.

The “Build-A-Bike” workshop provided 26 bicycles for children at the Tupperware Brands Boys & Girls Club in Kissimmee, assembled by 200 employee volunteers as part of an interactive, team-building effort.

“Volunteerism and giving back to the communities where we do business reflects our commitment to improve the quality of each life we touch,” said Patrick Little, Longwood site leader and a senior manager of Operations for Synchrony Financial. “We share Boys & Girls Clubs’ passion for preparing our children for life and careers through financial literacy and mentorship, and are proud to be their long-standing partner in Central Florida.”

Both events drew employees who were in Orlando as part of Synchrony Financial’s 2015 Global Diversity Network Symposium held at the Hilton Orlando Lake Buena Vista, September 28-30. The symposium brought together members of the company’s seven Engagement & Inclusion Networks: African-American Network, Asian Professional Engagement Network, Hispanic Network, LGBT Partnership Network, People with Disabilities Network, Women’s Network, and Veterans Network. In addition to the volunteer events, the symposium included a mix of workshops, panels and breakout sessions, providing one forum for leaders from across the business to connect and explore ways to help Synchrony Financial continue to grow.

Volunteerism is an important part of Synchrony Financial’s corporate culture. In Orlando, where Synchrony Financial has had a remittance processing site and call center since 1999, employees have volunteered nearly 400 hours to date in 2015, contributing support for organizations such as Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida, The Mustard Seed of Central Florida Furniture and Clothing Bank, American Diabetes Association’s Tour De Cure, and others.

“Synchrony Financial’s ongoing support enables us to better prepare our children for a lifetime of achievement,” said Gary Cain, President & CEO of Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Florida. “We’re grateful for their continued engagement, and stake, in the future of our children.”

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Source: http://www.businesswire.com/

NumberWorks’nWords Tutorial with Little Lights 10 of 12

“Education can be considered to be the most vital asset that we have because knowledge is the priceless wealth that people will never mislay under any circumstances, and the further the knowledge gets shared, the further it will advance. Therefore, elementary education forms the foundation for gaining basic knowledge without which the dream of children will become impossible.” The purpose why U! Happy Events partnered with NumberWorks ‘N Words to teach Math and English to 16 kids of The Little Lights Ministry for 12 sessions.

On our 10th session, the kids are now able to answer complex Math lessons like Problem Solving and Mental Computation. I have observed that by this time, children have become independent already. They know how to operate their computers, they have improved on memorizing the Multiplication Facts and they can correctly solve different questions so fast!

On their English lessons, the kids are now more confident to recite one-by-one compared to the previous sessions. Learning a language takes practice but with an interactive, animated and powerfully dynamic environment, a new learning experience is created. The children will remain engaged, excited and motivated to learn, all the while building confidence in their ability.

Elementary education can be compared to the first step that we take in life, it is impossible for us to run without first learning how we can walk. At U! Happy Events, we would like to be part of the children’s early walk in life. You can also walk with us by joining our last tutorial session on Sept. 30 at NumberWorks ’N Words, 2nd floor, Fox Square Building, Connecticut Street, Greenhills, San Juan City! See U! :)