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Hi,

I know what you mean.  My wife and myself have adopted 2 children over the past.  Since we cannot have our own, we thought it would be a good thing to do and try to share what we have with the less fortunate ones.
Our youngest daughter was literally crawling on the street with being +- 6 months old.  and no one cared.  and this in the Philippines with all nurses and loving mothers.  They all just walked over her.

I still believe today that this was a good decision to adopt and i encourage anyone to do so.

when the more fortunate would all just take one, the problem would soon be solved.

The reason why we decided to adopt rather then to give cash or help out in any other way is that we simply gave up.  The local government doesn't want you to help the children.  They can easily cope with it themselves if only the will to do so is there.

If the church would simply do other things then collecting cash, but do what they preach , the street children wouldn't be a problem.  But also in any religion, helping people is no longer important.

We tried to set up a greenschool project several years ago but we couldn't get any license from any city hall mainly because of the concept where children of the less fortunate can go to school free.  Greenschool projects are not new and we sponsor also 2 schools in Kokraad SaKaeo area in Thailand.  So it is possible if only the will is there.
It was easy to get a license for another school though. 

Giving anyone anywhere just cash and clothing will not work.  They will sell it to provide them from the other needs like decent food.  Or a place to sleep that is not managed by local police or traffic warden.

My approach would be to give them an education and boarding at no cost, as that is the only way for them to get out of the environment.  And that is the greenschool idea.  Where richer students pay for the more poor students.
And everyone works together as from 6 years old till 18.  Education is given by either volunteer teachers or gooders.

Those schools are sponsored by companies or institutions that believe in it.  Also those become less and less though those are their.  We tried support from the Philippine Deaf Associations to collaborate with them since they have all buildings, but they didn't even reply after 30 to 35 mails and calls. 

Unfortunately we have given up after almost 5 years trying to set this up in manila/Philippines.  Way too many threats and asked a few times very nicely to leave the country and to never come back again.  I am not the one to listen to this kind of threats and since my family is Philippine, i am still here.

You see, today more then before, street children are a non existing problem for the politician and business men.  presuming that those are not one and the same.
Money comes first and locals, and especially the poor ones, are worse then crap in the eyes of the business men/politicians.  I do repeat that i said in their eyes, not in mine.

I do come a few times a month in the divisoria area and in particular, China Town (168 mall area), Ermita, Malate and Tondo.  it gets worse every month. 

That in portals of government agencies like Philhealth, SSS and Pagibig more and more people spending the night on pieces of paper and carton is a conditio sine qua non.

I wouldnt mind sharing ideas about this, even in my limited time schedule, so please let me know where i might help out.  Again, just donations won't work as that only goes to other hands then the children.

best of luck

Good for you. I tried to enroll for volunteer work with a project for street children but the organisation did not work the months I was going to go.I thought it would have been a all year round project. (Probably aimed at gap year goody part time shoes) I am returning to Manila Feb/March next year for 4wk and would like to give up a week holiday to volunteer. I love the street children. Most never asked for anything but just loved my cheeky sense of humour. Ermita district getting worse. The squat has gone now from U N Avenue just across from Yellow cab pizza.

thanks for reading my post. at present i am a village secretary confined only to paper works, but the village has problems that can't be treated due to meager IRA. i myself cant go on with my own mission. what i need is only a little to go on with my program. i am not teaching a huge volume of children, only a handful and by random. this is only my initial stage.. i am a journalist by profession but decided to quit and settle in rustic place. I have a partner in this vocation. Our plan before is to put up our own newspaper, even weekly, and the proceeds will be used by us in reaching out to children. please spread our passion to educate the children.
thanks again

Hi,

you make me think on a project that was set up in Belgium, Holland and France about 10 years ago.
I can't think of the exact name of the paper but it was being sold by 'clochards' as we call them or homeless.
No children as those are taken care of mostly.  Clochards are older people or above 21 at least.

They sold the paper with interesting articles on the road or anywhere they could.  I bought them myself now and then.  it provide humanitarian articles and was also mostly about the issues they have as homeless. 

not a bad concept and it makes people think.  Not sure if something like this would work in the Philippines. 
It just might do it

Mover56 - SOS Childrens Villages seems to have a licence and legal structure available under which to operate.

Perhaps lobbying them to extend their programme into your village is an option?

thanks for giving attention to my program. SOMEBODY dictates that I have to go on. I feel the essence. the reason and the mission.. deep inside i could not just give a blank look at what should be taken care of

thanks for the message. i could have volunteered but I could hardly meet both ends meet due to meager salary as village secretary. I am confined to paper works and I want to get loose from this boring work and go on with my program,.. to be with children without time limitation o anyone barring them..

Hi there,

My name is Tess Price,  i am interested in helping those unfortunate kids but i don't have a car as i'm only new in the area so i don't know my way around here yet. Which area are you thinking of helping? I have also contacted the Iris Ministry who have an aid project in Tondo but they haven't got back to me yet. In the meantime, i don't mind partnering you.

I'm filipino born from Australia. My husband is Australian. We have 4 children who lives in Australia with their own families. We are back in the Philippines for work posting. We currently live in Legazpi Village, Makati area. [ Moderated by Priscilla : For your own security, do not share your phone number on a public forum ]

Please call me if you think you need me.

Cheers
Tess