Send 200 Filipino kids to better daycare centers

In our past reports, the HBI Team has been featuring the last-mile public daycare centers in the La Union Province under the Daycare Improvement Project. In these reports, we have shared the daily realities of the daycare teachers, the students, and their parents - the lack of learning materials and how far-flung these areas are which makes providing help more challenging. This time around, the HBI Team is casting the spotlight on the three new daycare centers and facilities the project has reached through your continued support: the Dampalit Primary School and the Tanza 1 and Tanza 2 Daycare Centers.

A Focus on Indigent Daycare Centers in Metro Manila

Unlike the previous daycare centers that the project has reached, the Dampalit, Tanza 1, and Tanza 2 Daycare Centers are located in the urban fishing city of Navotas at the heart of Metro Manila. They are not surrounded by mountains or farmlands but by the shores and waters of the Manila Bay. Navotas City may be one of the smallest cities in Metro Manila but it is also one of the most heavily populated,  with majority of household heads engaged in fishing-related jobs. The average daily income of a family engaged in fishing is at 5 to 7 dollars per day - an amount that is clearly not enough for an average family that has at least five members.

Bigger student population = fewer resources

Another noticeable difference between the La Union Daycare Centers and the Navotas Daycare Centers is the number of students. Whereas rural La Union daycare centers that are part of the project have a maximum of 50 students, the average number of learners in the Navotas Daycare Centers is double that figure at about 100 students. And though these daycare centers are more accessible and is under a city that has more means, the sheer volume of learners per daycare center is making resources scarce. Thus, while these Navotas Daycare Centers have better infrastructure and classrooms, students also do not have the needed school supplies and classrooms are also lacking learning materials and educational toys simply because there are more students to support and classrooms to equip. 

What The Project Accomplished so far: School Supplies, Nutritional Kits, and Classroom Learning Materials

In total, the City of Navotas has approximately 17 daycare centers, with the HBI Daycare Improvement Project focusing on helping the three daycare centers that caters to children whose families have been relocated to nearby government housing projects from shanties that used to stand on the banks of the Manila Bay. A total of 400 Navotas children attending daycare, Kindergarten, and first grade have been reached by the Daycare Improvement Project thanks to your continued support. 

Through your continued support of the Daycare Improvement and through the grant from Riot Games that HBI received through GlobalGiving, 500 daycare students from both La Union and Navotas Daycare Centers received school supplies and nutrition kits. The nutrition kits contain important food products like milk, rice porridge, energy biscuits, and supplies of multivitamins for every child. The school supplies provided included tracing pads for practice writing, crayons, pencils, notebooks, pad papers, and other materials that children would be using for their art classes. Every classroom has been provided with additional instructional materials for teachers (pens, art materials, bond papers, among others) and learning materials and educational toys for children (story books, tactile toys, puzzle mats, and flash cards for practice reading and simple arithmetic).

You Made This Possible

You don't need to look very far for the reason why more than 800 indigent students are able to go to school with their educational needs, or  why there are now nine better equipped daycare centers in La Union and Navotas City. The answer is because of you and your continued support. HBI is very honored to be the bridge linking you to those who need help the most, and in behalf of the children, the daycare teachers,  and the children's parents we want to say our biggest thanks to you. There is so much pain and suffering happening in our world right now, but please note that somewhere in the hinterlands of La Union, somewhere in a small community daycare classroom in Navotas City, there are children who are having a better early childhood learning experience because you made the decision to support them.

See you again in our next report!