Kuya Dominic’s Dance Workshop with Little Lights

We all know that kids have this seemingly boundless energy in their body that’s why dancing is one of the best ways to channel it. Dancing is a great alternative to other dangerous activities for children and can be offered even indoor. With that, thanks to Kuya Dominic “Nico” Santiago for making this possible!

Last Saturday, February 13, 2016, we conducted simple hip-hop dance lesson with Little Lights kids. Hip hop is kind of a hard dance for the kids but thanks to Kuya Gammy for guiding and teaching them. We used Justin Bieber’s Sorry as our song.

Before dancing, volunteers joined the kids for some cool games. Winners of each game came from different groups and it was a proof that all teams were doing their best and actively participated to be on top. After such, the team, together with the volunteers distributed food recharge the lost energy and gave gifts to the kids.

Even though Kuya Nico arrived late on the said event, he still felt that happiness that the kids felt during the whole duration of event. A great decision where to celebrate his birthday!

Snowmen Sales Boost Children’s Charity

A Moray charity has received a late Christmas present in the form of a bumper donation amassed by Buckie High School over the festive period.

Sixth year pupils at the school raised nearly £3,500 for the Logan’s Fund children’s cancer group by crafting and selling unique “snowmannie” figurines.

The creative youngsters handmade the decorations from little more than socks, buttons, rice and ribbons.

Pupils Erin McKenzie, Megan McGowan, Isla McRae, Emmy-Jo Munro, Niamh Paterson and Taylor Patient were mentored by teacher Sarah Matthews during the project.

They marketed the trinkets during community events throughout December, and at various Christmas fairs.

And they handed over the generous pledge to a special visitor to the school this week.

Elgin seven-year-old Ehryn Andrews was diagnosed with an osteosarcoma tumour in her pelvis on her sixth birthday in October 2014.

After enduring months of intense treatment and suffering heart failure last year, the brave youngster is now in remission from cancer.

Logan’s Fund has paid for her family to enjoy a holiday abroad this summer, and the charity said Ehryn was “thrilled” to act as its ambassador in collecting the donation.

Pupil Taylor Patient said: “We felt Logan’s Fund was the perfect organisation to donate our profits to as we were moved by the kindness of this charity and how the money we raised would be used to help suffering families.

“We were completely astounded and delighted by our finishing profit of £3446.00.”

Miss Paterson added: “Meeting Ehryn and knowing she would benefit from the money we raised in our enterprise project was really great.

“She is a lovely brave wee girl and is very deserving of the opportunities Logan’s Fund grant.”

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Source: https://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/

Accenture BST Team’s Art In Island with ECPAT

January was definitely a great way to kick-off the new year. With eight events for the month and a continuously growing team, we can definitely say that this year is looking pretty good for us. For our 706th event, and the last one for the month, Accenture BST showed how much they cared. From the list of our many partner beneficiary organizations, they chose ECPAT to share their experience with in Art in Island, Asia’s largest interactive 3D art museum.

ECPAT is an international organization connecting networks around the globe to fight against sexual exploitation of children. Although the general public might be aware of the negative impact that it has on children and to society, only a few of us might actually know the gravity of the situation. Over 1.8 million children worldwide are victims of sexual exploitation through prostitution and child pornography. It is also believed that around 16% of human trafficking victims are children for sexual exploitation. This billion dollar industry thrives not only on those who support it, but also on those who tolerate it.

On January 30, 2016, Accenture BST served as an example on how to take a stand against sexual exploitation of children. The day started out with the volunteers meeting the children and through a simple game of searching your matching number, the volunteers and the children instantly clicked with each other. The next few hours were spent posing and taking photos in Art in Island. As a “buddy system” was established, the Ates and Kuyas of Accenture BST and the children of ECPAT really got to bond and know each other. It was amazing to watch how each pair found comfort in each other as they went through each attraction in the museum. The event was concluded with a few games and the volunteers and children sharing a meal… And hugs! …which turned into tears for some of the children as they parted with their partner volunteers.

The event showed that, in our own way, we can give hope and share love to one another. Regardless of how little (or big) those acts may be, we can show support to those who need it the most.

Buffalo String Works Provides Music Lessons to Refugee and Immigrant Children

Music students of all ages know that music is not just memorizing notes from Vivaldi and practicing the proper technique. It becomes an outlet of creative expression, a way to convey thoughts and feelings to the audiences.

That is what UB music professor Numata Resnick is teaching her students in the Buffalo String Works after school program. Buffalo String Works is a non-profit organization for refugee and immigrant children in Buffalo. Inspired by the music students at Buffalo Public School No. 45, the idea was to provide intimate private lessons for underprivileged students.

“By giving our Buffalo String Works students an opportunity to congregate outside of the classroom, outside of school, outside of these walls that imply academia and discipline,” Resnick said, “I feel like I’ve seen tremendous growth in their social skills, in the way they interact with each other and the way they interact with us.”

Resnick, with the help of local violist Virginia Barren and school No. 45 music teacher Elice Golove, started the program a year and a half ago.

Today she has the help of many people from the community and local volunteer high school students.

She’s created an internship program working with Buffalo String Works so that her UB students can get the chance to teach music.

Today, the program is thriving and caters to 38 students from both public school No. 45 and the West Buffalo Charter School. For Resnick, each group lesson is much more than just a musical after-school program that meets twice a week.

“We’ve had so much support from private donors that now we are looking into grant writing and corporate sponsorship and trying to grow ourselves on that side of things as well,” Resnick said.

For Resnick, music also plays a serious role in helping her students express themselves in a manner that may be less complicated. With the time spent practicing after school, she said the children are allowed to grow and mature in a setting outside of the classroom.

“Many of our students are from all over the world,” Resnick said. “[For] some, English is not their first language. Music provides them a way of expressing themselves in a universal language that has nothing to do with words.”

The opportunity to play and practice an instrument is seen as an experience that every student should have. It’s the chance to experience and create something new.

For young students coming from different countries, music becomes more than just a hobby – it becomes a way for them to ease the stress of living and experiencing an entirely new environment and culture.

“Kids from other countries might feel away from home here in the United States. However, music gives them a voice to connect with others, it makes them feel not like an outsider, but like they are part of a community,” said Jaspreet Kaur, a sophomore nursing major interested in social work.

Jared Armitage, a junior political science major, said projects like the Buffalo String Works provide a great outlet for kids. The program is not only providing them with tools and instruction, but also a chance to grow in a way that may not have been possible in their home countries, he said.

“Music is a good way to express yourself. I think it’s a good outlet for the kids to have to deal with their transition from their home country to here. I also think it’s a great avenue to make friends and expand their horizons,” Armitage said.

As of now, Buffalo String Works provide free violin lessons on Mondays and Wednesdays in the afternoon at the Concerned Ecumenical Ministry from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. and 3:45 to 5:15 p.m.

The program plans to introduce cello lessons this fall and then the viola soon afterward.

In the future, Resnick hopes to expand the program even further, creating a fully equipped orchestra and even branching out into a community music school.

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Source: http://www.ubspectrum.com/

Charity Appeals for Help Funding Treatment Centre for Disabled Children in Cameroon

A HUMANITARIAN charity is fundraising to build a new treatment centre for disabled children in West Africa.

The Swindon branch of charity Future in Our Hands Education and Development Fund is appealing for the public’s help in raising £9,000 for the new centre in Bafoussam, Cameroon.

A new treatment centre will provide a home for Global Rehabilitation Services (GLORES) to change the lives of disabled children. Despite limited income, the non-profit organisation has helped more than 1500 children in Cameroon and Western Africa.

GLORES aims to prevent disability in children and support them with education and training.

Led by Dr Albert Wingo, along with a small team of Dutch volunteer doctors, GLORES performs life changing operations to reconstruct children’s limbs and provide rehabilitation and physiotherapy.

Future in Our Hands has already raised more than £16,000 for the new centre which will include large dormitories and an orthopaedic workshop.

Charity chairman, Alan Stewart from Stratton said the charity was determined to help in any way they can.

“We have been helping this project with a major contribution of local labour from concerned parents who have already established the foundations with building blocks baked in the sun. We need around £9,000 to complete and equip this centre,” he said.

“We believe the future is in our control. We put women first, children first, the environment first. Mike Thomas, who used to be chairman of our charity spearheaded the work that we have done in Cameroon and we are determined to get this centre built as soon as possible.”

It was during a 2008 trip to Cameroon that former teacher Alan witnessed the effects of malnutrition on children and first met Dr Wingo.

“It was so distressing seeing children everywhere with disabilities, many had bowed legs due to rickets and it was harrowing to see. It made you realise how different life can be,” he said.

“Over there children can be discriminated against, and there is a belief that it’s due to something the children have done wrong, which we all know is nonsense. Something can be done and this will enable Dr Wingo to help more children change their lives.

“The work that Dr Wingo does is extraordinary, he is not only improving childrens’ lives but he is doing it with such a small team of volunteers. That is why we wanted to help.

“I know from being over there, something as small as £10 really does make a difference, I’ve seen it. £10 can change someone’s life completely.”

Future in Our Hands has worked with Non-Governmental Organisations in Cameroon for more than 20 years, which means the charity can guarantee all contributions will directly benefit disadvantaged children.

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

Ate Cristelle’s Story Telling with National Children’s Hospital

As we continue our 10th year celebration serving marginalized children, we had another packed weekend last week.

We had two events last saturday morning. One of the events was the birthday celebration of Ate Cristelle. She turned 21 last January 19th. This year she wanted to celebrate her birthday in a different way. She invited her friends and family to spend time at the M3 ward of National Children’s Hospital. This hospital has been a partner hospital for six years now. Thanks for the support of the doctors, nurses, and staff of NCH, this is our 12th event with them to date. The children we spent with today had had different kinds of illness. Some were being treated for dengue, dermatitis, bad case of indigestion and infection. Most of them were younger than seven years old. There was even as tiny as a 4 month old baby, who was suffering from difficulty breathing so a tube had to be placed to aid in her breathing.

Books are a great way for us to travel and experience the world. It is a way for us to instill good values to children. Today was a day of stories. Our excellent story teller, Ate Dyaly, started the morning with a couple of great stories. Our event was held in 2 rooms, where we simultaneously did the activities planned for the day. Ate Dyaly first spent time with the children of the first room. She told the story of a boy named Mario who got to learn about the different animals. Ate Dyaly taught the kids the different kinds of animals through the sounds they make. She made animal sounds of dogs, cats, pig, and others.

While the first group enjoyed the animal stories, Ate Te and Kuya Glen were in the second room facilitating games for the older children. They did the point to the body part game where they would repeatedly say a body part then finally say the correct part the children were to point to. For instance, Kuya Glen would repeatedly say: “nose, nose, nose, nose,…… shoulders!” The kids had to point to their shoulders. The tricky part was that Kuya Glen also pointed to a different body part when he said “shoulders” which could cause a bit of confusion. The children laughed as they tired to stay alert and accurately point to the correct body part. Some had to point to several parts first before finally pointing to the correct one.

After the game Ate Dyaly came to the second room to do the story telling. She told the story of a boy who did not give importance to personal hygiene. Every time it happened vegetables would grow from the boy’s body part. In the end Ate Dyaly was able to teach the importance of keeping ourselves clean. After the main story telling we gave out story books so our volunteers can tell a story to each of the children. We partnered the ates and kuyas with the children in the ward. The volunteers got the chance to get to know the parents and children. After that they told a story to their kids. The children got to keep the story books as our gift to them.

We then had our early lunch and Ate Cristelle gave out gifts to the children. We sang a happy birthday song for the birthday celebrant. The volunteers each offered a simple message and prayer for their children as they said their goodbyes.

These children being at a very young age, we were glad to someone alleviate the discomfort they are suffering through the different stories we told. The children smiled as the volunteers tried their best to tell the stories as best as they could. The kids have been confined in the hospitals for days and weeks. Through our stories, we were able to transport these kids to a different world and share some lessons and values they can always carry with them.

More Volunteers Needed for Children's Charity CHICKS

THIS year children's charity CHICKS is hoping to help 1,200 youngsters, but to reach that goal it will need more than 500 volunteers.

The charity hosts respite breaks for disadvantaged children at its centre in Tywardreath as well as in Devon and Derbyshire and has just welcomed its first group of children for this year at half term.

The young people are given a week-long break in the countryside and take part in all sorts of activities they otherwise might not get a chance to experience away from the concerns of their everyday lives.

They come from all over the country and last year this included 150 children from Cornwall, including a nine-year-old carer whose father has cancer and whose mother has a long-term medical condition.

Other children might also be young carers or they could be victims of abuse or bullying or poverty – what they have in common is that without CHICKS they would not have a holiday during the year.

Every CHICKS break is led by three fully-trained leaders along with up to six adult volunteers.

Anyone over 18 can volunteer and no experience is necessary, just the energy and enthusiasm to make sure all the children have the best time possible.

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

Kuya Chester’s Baking Workshop with Tulong sa Kapwa Kapatid

Another balikbayan Filipino took the time to give back to children this Christmas season. We’ve been getting a number of these this 2015. Thanks to our Create Your Own Event form, we got to communicate well with Kuya Chester Chan while he was still in Singapore. He is a friend of our Singapore Ambassador, Ate Joanna Villagarcia-Blanding. We are ecstatic that we are slowly tapping international.

One of regular baking workshop supporters, Chef Paul Samson volunteered and sponsored our main activity. He was joined by two of his students who were a big help in managing 50 children from Tulong sa Kapwa Kapatid. We did three rounds of non baking. We had make your own Pastillas, Peanut Butter with Strawberry Jam Crepe plus Cupcake decorating. The photos speaks so much on how much fun everyone had. It was a first for the kids to have an activity like this.

As we continue to shift to more enriching events, baking will teach children the balance of creativity as they make their own versions of desserts and the right measurements to make the product happen. It also encapsulates the value of listening and communicating with peers to make it a relevant experience.

Even though Christmas has passed, the children received bags of goodies from Kuya Chester and friends. They received Oishi packs, juices and biscuits from another sponsor, Rebisco.

Prosper High School Film Festival to Benefit Children’s Charity

Prosper High School junior Abbie Cleveland knows all too well the pain that can accompany a broken heart.

That is because the teen’s 9-year-old cousin, Grace Cooper, was born with one.

When she was just a few days old, Grace was diagnosed with Holmes Heart, a congenital heart defect, and underwent her first open-heart surgery. In the years since, several other surgeries and procedures have followed.

“I remember growing up, my cousin couldn’t swim with us because it’d be too cold outside and her heart wouldn’t pump blood right,” recalled 16-year-old Cleveland. “I’m always going to feel guilty for her being sick and I’m not.”

Although there is not much the teen can do to medically assist her cousin, Cleveland is working to raise awareness about congenital heart defects.

She is a member of Prosper High’s Eagle Production Group, an audio-video class that produces films and other projects. The group is scheduled to host a student film festival beginning at 7 p.m. Friday at the school, located at 301 Eagle Drive.

Funds raised during the event, which will also feature a raffle and a bake sale, will benefit Amazing Little Hearts, a nonprofit support group that provides resources to families of children born with congenital heart defects.

The goal is to raise $2,500 for the organization, according to A/V teacher Kelly Maxey.

“The kids have done all the work on this,” she said, which included securing sponsors and promoting the event.

Cleveland became familiar with the organization, which is affiliated with Medical City Children’s Hospital in Dallas, through Grace who is set to attend tonight’s event.

Filmmaking, Cleveland said, is “definitely my passion, so anything I can be passionate about and raise money for is something I am onboard for.”

Luckily, so were Cleveland’s classmates when she suggested that Eagle Production Group host a film festival benefitting Amazing Little Hearts.

The teen’s personal connection to the organization “is pretty special,” Maxey said. The condition is “just something you don’t hear much about, so it’s good to let people know that there is this charity out there that’s helping kids and their families.”

To help introduce the audience to congenital heart defects, Cleveland and her classmates Sarah Stiles and Noah Maxey created a short film called “Happy Heart,” which will open the festival.

“It’s about a little girl, and she is sick and she can’t afford to have her heart fixed,” Cleveland explained of the plot.

“She writes letter to her guardian angel and her sister finds it and sends it to Amazing Little Hearts,” which pays for the girl’s surgery. “In the end, she thinks her guardian angel fixed her heart.”

It took Cleveland and her classmates about a week to create the film, which was shot on location at her family’s home.

About a dozen student-made short films will be screened at the festival, including a few that were submitted to compete in UIL’s Young Filmmakers Festival.

One of those is “Race Car,” which Cleveland wrote and produced. The film reached UIL’s semifinal round and may advance to the state competition being held next month in Austin.

“Race Car” follows a young girl as she grows from a tomboy into a teen and lands in an abusive relationship with a boyfriend.

Cleveland said the project took her months to complete, even with assistance from her classmates.

“We just have a lot of kids that are really serious about this program,” she said of her fellow filmmakers. “There’s a strong group - especially in my class - of people who know that they want to pursue [filmmaking] and they know they have to make their portfolio strong now so they can get into a visual-arts school or a film school.”

Count Cleveland among them. Since traveling with her classmates last year to New York City and attending the All-American High School Film Festival, she said she has her sights set on attending the city’s School of Visual Arts.

“I realized that this is what’s going to make me happy,” she said.

Affording young filmmakers opportunities to screen their works at events like Friday's festival is “important,” Cleveland said. “I know as a student filmmaker we don’t always get representation that we want and the acknowledgement that we need.”

The same can likely be said about the work done by organizations such as Amazing Little Hearts.

“It makes me happy that we’re bringing awareness to this,” she said, “since not a lot of people know about” congenital heart defects.

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Source: http://starlocalmedia.com/

Under Armour’s PBA Live with JD Salvador

After an event with children of Gentle Hands in Quezon City, we drove on the opposite end to watch PBA live in Mall of Asia Arena with 16 children and teens of JD Salvador Foundation. Thanks to connections we have built through the years, we get more invites to activities children in marginalized sector don’t get to experience.

Ate Karen Romarte got to connect us to Under Armour who got us seats courtside. Am just excited for the boys who got to see their basketball heroes in person. They cheered in almost every shot.

We were also joined by Ms. Earth winner, Angelia Ong. She’s also part of JCI Manilena where Ate Karen Romarte is past president of. It was truly a unique time for everyone.

The Voice Star to Perform for Children’s Charity

THE WORTHING star of BBC’s The Voice will be going back where it all started to perform for a children’s cancer charity.

Deano Boroczky, 27, will be performing at the Smugglers Return on Hamm Road, where he was originally picked up by talent scouts from the show.

It will be his first gig since performing on The Voice.

Deano, who is currently being mentored on the show by Paloma Faith, will be playing songs from people who have inspired him musically throughout his life, and will have his friend Neil on acoustic guitar along with a sax player for a couple of songs.

He said: “I’ve decided to put on a little gig at the Smugglers to say thanks to people in Worthing who have been really supportive so far. I am really looking forward to having a great evening.

“It feels fitting to have it at the Smugglers as that’s where I was scouted for The Voice. Angie and Andy the pub runners at the Smugglers have always been really welcoming and supportive.”

Around 12 acts will perform in total, with all proceeds going towards the Little Heroes Cancer Trust, which provides toys, distractions and smiles to children and the families of children who are living with cancer.

The evening starts at 8:30pm on Saturday February 20 with Deano performing from 9pm.

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

Juicy Cologne’s Cup Christmas Tree with CCT Pasay

Juicy Cologne ambassadors led by Ate Sofia Insua coordinated with me months back for a Christmas celebration with children. Their company provides a line of hip colognes for teenage girls. Like any other companies we have partnered, it is their way of giving back and blessing the children.

It was more than just a Christmas party 3 days before the big day. Besides gift giving of school supplies and their packs of Juicy Cologne products, we had a string of activities that filled up our afternoon. To start of was two entertaining shows- acrobats and magic! Our two mainstay artist battle it out to amaze 50 children under the group of Center for Community Transformation or CCT.

Interaction is valuable to us. We made sure 8 of the Juicy Cologne ambassadors got to do this through getting to know the children Q&A, compete with them through our game and assist each other in our Cup Christmas Tree making. Thanks to Ate Blanca Fuentes for her patience and passion in teaching step by step art which pave the way to create their own masterpieces.

Smiles are created. They open up better opportunities for children. Let us continue to make that happen not just this Christmas season but all throughout the year. Thanks Juicy Cologne.

Philanthropic Jennifer Lawrence Donates $2 Million to Children's Charity

Hollywood star Jennifer Lawrence is giving back. The Hunger Games actress has donated $2M to a children’s charity in her hometown of Louisville, Kentucky. The 25-year-old announced that she had set up the Jennifer Lawrence Foundation Cardiac Intensive Care Unit at Kosair Children’s Hospital, via a video message.

"As part of my effort to help these children and caregiver, I challenge the entire community to get behind this cause and help my gift by raising an additional $2M to support all of these brave and inspiring children," said the Oscar winner in the clip.

The actress’ kind donation comes after she visited patients in the children’s hospital on Christmas Eve. Veroncica Tracie, mother of Bria who is being treated at the centre, was delighted to meet the award winner. "She was very sweet, genuine and I could sense the beauty of her soul. You know how some people just light up a room, or you just feel comfortable in their presence," she said.

Before focusing on her ambition to become an actress, Jennifer was an assistant nurse at her parent’s summer camp and intended on becoming a nurse. Speaking on the chat show Live! With Kelly and Michael she revealed: "I actually had a five year plan when I came out here to act. I was like ‘'I’ll give it five years, and if that doesn’t work, I’ll go to nursing school.'"

On Friday, following the star’s announcement of her new foundation, Jennifer’s parents visited the children’s centre to speak to the press about their daughter’s generous donation. "She’s all about giving…she’s not materialistic," said her mum Karen. "[She] has the biggest heart of anybody I know."

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Source: http://www.hellomagazine.com/