In the Philippines, almost 35% of the total population is less than 14 years of age. While the future of the country depends on the youth population, many young Filipinos do not even know what the word “future” means: their daily life consists of meeting basic needs for survival. It is estimated that more than a half million children live in the streets of Manila, with between 50 000 and 80 000 living in the subway [1]. Having to fend for themselves, these children face innumerable dangers. Drugs, violence, hunger, and even sexual services are common occurrences. Everyday, they are at risk from the elements, deprivation, sickness, and the general indifference of the population.

Desperate instability

With much experience and with a team of qualified and invested social workers, the Virlanie Foundation continues to give these children a new sense of hope and the possibility of a better future through the new Mobile Unit project. The idea is simple: a panel van outfitted with equipment worthy of a real classroom—blackboard, chalk, books, pencils, and notebooks—circulates daily in the city’s poorest neighborhoods. Using adapted and innovative pedagogic tools, two teachers with state diplomas give bi-weekly lessons, in parks and public squares, to more than one hundred children from ages 4 to 16.

Coming from large, rural families that move from the countryside to the city in search of a better life, these street children find themselves in highly unstable situations. For example, eight-year-old Anarosa works ten hours a day in the street, searching through garbage bins for plastic that she can sell for a few cents a kilogram, in order to bring back some money to her family. For little Jay, he was one more mouth to feed at home, and his parents abandoned him on the street, where he now lives, begs, and sleeps outside with his “street friends.”

Giving a smile to children living in the street

The idea for Mobile Unit was born in this environment. The children are taught classic subjects like literacy, Tagalog [2], English, and math, but “alternative education” is also part of the curriculum. This includes lessons on health, security, children’s rights, moral values, and the dangers of sexual abuse. The program is completed by other educational activities such as physical education, artistic expression, and recreational excursions. These initiatives are also an opportunity to teach the essential facts of hygiene and nutrition. After class, the students wash their hands before eating a well-balanced meal, and to finish, they are all given toothbrushes.

Furthermore, in addition to educational activities, a nurse is on hand to provide basic healthcare. The children are vaccinated against Hepatitis B and tuberculosis, and they all receive dental check-ups from a medical professional.

This project confirms the deep engagement of the Virlanie Foundation. This engagement continues to grow with a new project underway: a biological farm where teenagers can learn about agricultural work, in a place far removed from Manila.

Also read: Résonances Asia N°12 - March 2007