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Make a child smile this Easter
March 26, 2010
Make a child smile this Easter
Celebrate renewed life this Easter as you dine with your friends and loved ones.
Virlanie Foundation, Inc., one of the country’s largest child-caring institutions, partners with Metro Manila’s finest restaurants in giving a better life to street children. Your Easter meal in Cicou, Crisostomo (Eastwood and Nuvali branches), Felix, Florabel, People’s Palace, Sala, and Sala Bistro will help sponsor a street child’s nutrition and education needs.
Now on its 18th year, Virlanie Foundation cares for street children: marginalized, abused, neglected and in need of special protection. It empowers the children to have a brighter future by giving them a home, a family, food, education, emotional and psychological support.
Virlanie has been working with various restaurants in advocating support for street children since last year. This year’s campaign, dubbed Dine to Smile, aims to raise awareness among the general public on how they can help nourish a street child’s body and mind for a minimum monthly donation. To learn more about Virlanie, its many programs, and how you can be part of the one-year Dine to Smile campaign, visit www.virlanie.org.
Dine to Smile – Some of the country’s finest restaurants partner with Virlanie Foundation’s newest campaign for street children.
February 12, 2010
Dine to Smile – Some of the country’s finest restaurants partner with Virlanie Foundation’s newest campaign for street children.
Taking off from the success of last year’s Virlanie is my Valentine and 8 to Educate, Virlanie Foundation is again working with high-end, fine-dining restaurants in its drive to inform more people of the plight of street children and encourage them to make a big difference to these children’s lives. Virlanie is partnering with restaurants for one whole year, with campaign milestones spread throughout 2010.
The campaign launches this Valentine’s/Chinese New Year weekend. The growing list of participating restaurants includes Azuthai, Cav, Cicou, Crisostomo (Eastwood), Crisostomo (Nuvali), Felix, Florabel, and the Sala Group of Restaurants (Sala, Sala Bistro and People’s Palace). These generous restaurants have committed to supporting the feeding requirements of twenty children in one Virlanie home for one month. Virlanie brochures and pledge forms are also available in these restaurants encouraging their guests to join the campaign.
Now on its 18th year, Virlanie Foundation cares for street children: marginalized, abused, neglected and in need of special protection. It empowers the children to have a brighter future by giving them a home, a family, food, education, emotional and psychological support. To learn more about Virlanie, its many programs and how you can be part of the one-year Dine to Smile campaign, visit www.virlanie.org.
Enervon Donates P1 M to Virlanie Foundation
January 28, 2010
27 January 2010, Makati, Philippines — Enervon today announced that it is donating P1,000,000.00 to the Virlanie Foundation, an organization dedicated to uplifting the lives of street children. This is the result of the participation of the Filipino public and the corporate donation from Unilab as part of Enervon’s Share the Happy Campaign.
United Laboratories Incorporated or Unilab has been supporting the Virlanie Foundation for years now. In December 2009, Enervon, one of its brands, launche d a campaign called, “Share the Happy” wherein the public was enjoined to contribute to the cause via a text drive. The progress of the text drive was represented by an interactive billboard along EDSA. Each donation made was symbolized by a light bulb on the billboard. When the whole billboard has been lit, Enervon pledged to turn over the proceeds to the Virlanie Foundation on behalf of everyone who supported the campaign.
The amount contributed by the public and Enervon will go into the donation of a new van for the Virlanie Foundation’s Mobile Unit along with its street programs. “We thought long and hard about it and we didn’t want to give something temporary. We want to make sure that we contribute to the enhancement of the organization’s operations for the long term,” said Jals Tiu, Enervon Product Manager.
According to Dominique Lemay, Founder and President of the Virlanie Foundation, the donation will help enhance the operations of our Mobile Unit, which promotes literacy and provides mobile healthcare services to the street children. “We’re very grateful to have been part of Enervon’s ‘Share the Happy’ campaign. Through this contribution that they are making, we will be able to improve our operations and reach out to more children,” said Lemay.
The Mobile Unit
The Mobile Unit program was a pilot project in 2006 of the Virlanie Foundation, a non-profit organization which aims to continue, “Giving back the smile to street children.” Understanding the condition of the disadvantaged children in Metro Manila, the project was conceptualized to provide street-based multi-disciplinary activities through educational, healthcare and social services that properly address their needs in the location where they are situated. Due to its great success, it was officially integrated as one of the foundation’s outreach programs by 2008.
Education, health care services, and psychosocial interventions are the three main thrusts of the program in its objective to socially integrate the children and ultimately form them into responsible, functional members of society. A team of professionals (a project coordinator, two licensed teachers, a registered nurse, a registered social worker, and a technical assistant/ driver) visit Paco and Divisoria four to five times a week to visit the communities of street children in these areas and provide services to meet their needs.
The Mobile Unit team uses an attractive educational tool in keeping with street children’s transitory lifestyle, a mobile school. The program has its own local curriculum which is different from the one of conventional schools and is more suitable to children with a weak educational background. They focus on empowering street children in making their own decisions by developing their self-esteem and sense of self.
To assess the children’s knowledge of the four basic math operations for example, the teachers introduced a game called “Mathletics.” This takes the pressure off those with low educational attainment and encourages them to participate in the group. The unit also provides books for reading, activities aimed at functional literacy, as well as alternative educational sessions: children’s rights and responsibilities, health education and personal safety along with developmental activities such as sports and arts and crafts.
Perhaps the most invaluable of the services provided by the Mobile Unit are those that concern the children’s health. These include child care (monthly grooming sessions, first-aid treatments), medical assistance (dental care, medical check-ups), immunization and food and vitamin supplementation. More often than not the children become the victims of poverty and lack of education on the part of their guardians.
“It is heartbreaking to hear how basic the problems of these children are. Some don’t even have birthdays or surnames,” said Lemay. Because government documents can be a feat for those who are financially challenged or have few or no supporting documents, birth certificates have become more a privilege rather than a right to street children. The team also conducts area/ family visits, data gathering, referrals to local institutions, family reunification, and counseling aside from processing birth certificates. “As much as possible we try to ensure that they grow up with basic hygiene, proper nutrition and skills appropriate to their situation’s limitations,” Lemay added.
In 2009, 192 children from both venues participated in the program. A good number of these are regulars who consistently attend the classes, evidence that lack of opportunity is the main reason behind child vagrancy.
Stories of Hope
Majority of street children come from dysfunctional families (e.g. families with abusive, imprisoned, single, or separated parent/s) and as such do not have adult role models to look up to. They deal with a great amount of personal conflicts or anxieties and are thus vulnerable to outside influences like peer pressure and discriminatory behavior. Because they lack the the skills and knowledge in relation to their rights and responsibilities, they are prone to sexual and substance abuse. They are also susceptible to psychiatric disorders and learning problems. Aside from emotional difficulties, these children also face the threat of disease and accidents brought about by the unhealthy living conditions in the streets.
“It can be difficult to deal with these children. Each case is unique and you have to treat them according to their specific needs. It can take a while for them to open up, to trust you. We’ve had cases where it doesn’t happen at all,” Lemay shared.
For its health care services alone, 87% of beneficiaries in Divisoria and 81% of beneficiaries in Paco have improved their health conditions from January to June 2009.
An exceptional case is that of *Mar who was introduced by his mother as a “special child” with a non-healing wound. When the team members examined the “wound”, they were shocked to find on the back of this 16-year-old was a deep, infected hole surrounded by smaller ones.
With assistance from the Virlanie Mobile Unit’s nurse, Mar immediately underwent several laboratory tests where it was discovered that he had tuberculosis of the skin. The program coordinated with the nearest public health center for free medication. After six months of treatment, his wounds totally healed. After which the team discovered that the child was not “special” at all: he just had a speech problem. After enrolling the boy into the curriculum, Mar has since taken giant steps and has learned basic reading, and even teach younger children Math during the Mobile Unit activities.
*Rey, 12, is another beneficiary of the Mobile Unit program. The unschooled orphan was left to fend for himself when his father died and his mother abandoned him. The team had to place him in the “pre-school” class. Today, he is in the Virlanie residential homes and enjoys support from the foundation.
Virlanie receives its funding from generous donors. While a great amount of the budget for the Mobile Unit goes to education, supplies, materials for developmental activities, supplemental feeding activities, medical supplies, and administrative expenses, the employees are also thankful for the volunteers that come regularly to help them in their cause.
“We are thankful for all the support we receive. The enthusiasm and optimism of volunteers are especially infectious. When we see how tirelessly they work, it motivates us and revives our spirits to work harder,” said Lemay.
“We’d like to thank everyone who participated in the “Share the Happy” campaign. It’s heartwarming to know that people are willing to help and support Virlanie’s street children. Trust that your contributions will go a long way in giving back the smiles to Filipino street children,” added Tiu.
*Names of children have been changed to protect their identities.
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For more information on the ‘Share the Happy’ campaign, press only:
Joy Mirasol (joy.mirasol@perceptions-inc.com, +632 8913485)
For inquiries about Virlanie Foundation, you may call Marvin Segura/External Communications at +632 895 3460 or by e-mail: communications@virlanie.org.ph. You may visit the Virlanie website: www.virlanie.org.
Help “Share the Happy” with street children this Christmas
December 4, 2009
Help “Share the Happy” with street children this Christmas
The Christmas season magnifies what has long been established in Filipino culture: that for the Filipino, happiness means being with the people that mean most to them.
In cooperation with the Virlanie Foundation, an organization dedicated to uplifting the lives of street children by giving them a sense of family, support and love, Enervon is launching “Share the Happy”, a new advocacy campaign for the benefit of hundreds of neglected but deserving youth.
Through “Share the Happy”, Enervon provides Filipinos an opportunity to make a contribution in enriching the lives of street children this Christmas.
As part of this campaign, Enervon is unveiling a partially lighted interactive billboard along EDSA. The public is encouraged to help light up the billboard and pledge their support for the cause by texting “Refill” to 2948. Each text message is a sign of support which translates to an additional light on billboard.
When it is fully lighted, a donation will be formally made by Enervon to the Virlanie Foundation on behalf of all who supported the cause.
As Jalene Tiu, Enervon Product Manager, said “Christmas is all about sharing. No one knows this more than the people who have tirelessly helped out in the foundation.”
“We admire the volunteers who find time out of their busy schedules to teach and play with the children. These people go through their daily routine and still find the energy to play an active role in the foundation,” she added.
At Enervon, Tiu said, “our main goals for this campaign is to give the public an opportunity to ‘Share the Happy’ this Christmas to more than 300 street children under the 12 residential homes of Virlanie and more than 800 children through its outreach programs.”
She added, “Through this initiative, we want to make these children feel that we care. In our own way and with the help of the public, we know we can make a difference.” The Virlanie Foundation is committed to helping improve the lives of street children through the provision of food and clothes, a family home, and opportunities to study.
Many of the children in the foundation share the same story: born into hardship and poverty, they do not stand a fair chance of reaching their full potential.
Oftentimes, they are driven to work in the formal sector and forego dreaming of a better future so that they can get by their needs for the day.
The Virlanie foundation has been advocating the cause of Filipino street children since 1992. The founder and president, Dominique Lemay, has long since recognized the importance of having a normal upbringing and has designed their organizational structure and programs to respond to the needs of the children.
The children live in homes where the prevailing atmosphere is that of a family. It has a father, mother and aunts who care for and provide formation to the children.
When necessary, Virlanie assists in the social reintegration of the children into communities through livelihood training programs and whenever possible, reunite them with their families.
Although thousands have already benefited from its efforts, the resources of the non-profit, non-government organization are still very limited to this day.
Virlanie is one of the largest child-caring organizations in the country. In the last 17 years, it has cared for more than 11,000 street children. (PNA)
8 to Educate Campaign
October 31, 2009
8 to Educate Campaign
Children’s Month draws to a close in the Philippines and we’re reminded of the importance of education in the lives of the country’s children. Virlanie Foundation, Inc and eight high-end restaurants in Serendra and along Bonifacio High Street in Global City, Taguig have partnered on a new campaign to highlight education for those who perhaps need it the most: street children.
From now until December 31st, 2009, eating at any one of the eight participating restaurants will help educate a street child. Arama, Cav, Chelsea, Cupcakes by Sonja, Fu, Healthy Kitchen, Sentro 1771 and Xocolat will make a donation to Virlanie for every designated menu item ordered. Eager to participate in the campaign, the staff of each restaurant has been learning about Virlanie and its eight educational initiatives.
Virlanie and its campaign partners are keen that concern for education extends beyond mealtimes and they’ve made it easy for patrons to support the education of a street child from only PHP800 per month.
Virlanie Foundation is a private non-sectarian child-caring institution in Manila. Its cares for street children who are abandoned, abused, made to work and are found living in the streets. They’re welcomed into its homes. Annually it cares for more than 300 children in its 12 homes and last year cared for 700 more through its outreach programs.
Support for Virlanie’s cause comes from many quarters. For a year already, world famous singer Billy Crawford, has been the foundation’s Goodwill Ambassador. Recruited by founder Dominique Lemay, Billy has seen Virlanie’s work up close: “I visited the homes and it’s really impressive how these kids are being taken care of. It’s all year round, not just for the Christmas season.” Billy freely admits that “I wouldn’t be who I am today if I hadn’t been ‘in need’ at some point in my life… and it’s on those crucial times when any helping hand is always a blessing.” Billy understands the importance of education and backs Virlanie on its newest campaign to come to the aid of the city’s most vulnerable children. #
Virlanie’s benefit dinner to provide long-term assistance to flood victims
October 2, 2009Metro Manila is hard at work cleaning up after devastating tropical storm Ondoy. The flood waters have still not subsided in some areas and hard questions are being asked about what happened last weekend and how the region can better prepare for the next such storm.
Though Ondoy was a week ago, many are still in critical and immediate need of help. Although giving them relief assistance for food, clothing, etc., are important at this point, it is also imperative for us to provide long-term rehabilitation assistance.
The Virlanie Foundation is coming to the aid of street families hit by Ondoy. These Filipinos, already living in desperately difficult circumstances, have lost even what little they had, and with that their chance at improving their miserable existence.
For 17 years Virlanie has worked with street children and families; many of its current beneficiaries caught up in the havoc of Ondoy need extra help now. Almost 50 street families living in Quiapo, Tondo, Paco and Quezon City (Payatas and Brgy. Bagong Silangan) need food, clothing and relocation. Virlanie sponsors the education of their children assuring them a better future. But Ondoy carried away their uniforms, school shoes, school supplies - without these items their education and thereby their future, is in jeopardy. These items must be replaced now as school resumes next week.
In Payatas, two families lost all but the threadbare clothes on their backs as their shacks were washed away in the flood waters. These two families need Virlanie’s help to return to the province and restart their lives in a sustainable way far from the horrors of Metro Manila’s garbage dumps.
Virlanie is helping Ondoy’s victims and we call on you to help too. Exceptional disasters call for exceptional efforts and Virlanie ensures that all your help will reach directly those most badly hit by the flooding.
Join Virlanie at a benefit dinner and silent art auction on Tuesday, October 6th at Chateau 1771 in Greenbelt 5. Call Kiel today to make your reservation: 09103393864, or email her at kfernandez.virlanie@gmail.com.
Send your cash donations to Virlanie Foundation Inc:
VIRLANIE FOUNDATION INC.
Banco De Oro (Vito Cruz- Taft Avenue Branch)
Bankard Bldg., 2422 Taft Avenue, Malate, Manila Philippines
Swift Code: BNORPHMM
Peso Account: 4580002426
US Dollar Account: 4580108577
Euro Account: 4580112833
Please send the copy of the deposit slip thru fax 895 5232 or e-mail virlanie.communication@gmail.com
Your in-kind donations can be dropped off at:
VIRLANIE FOUNDATION HEAD OFFICE
4055 Yague Street
Barangay Singkamas
Makati City
In the name of the most needy of Filipino victims, Virlanie sends you a heartfelt Thank You for your support.
Virlanie joins International Coastal Clean-up, UN’s International Peace Day, National Peace Consciousness Month
September 4, 2009
Virlanie children volunteer for coastal clean-up! September 19 is International Coastal Clean-Up Day! 30 children and young adults along with 20 staff members and volunteers will help clean
Virlanie also joins the world as it commemorates the United Nations’ International Day of Peace this September. 30 Virlanie children will be part of the storytelling campaign that focuses on promoting a culture of peace among the youth spearheaded by the Office of the Presidential Adviser for Peace Process as part of the National Peace Consciousness Month celebration.
17 years of giving back the smile to street children…
July 1, 2009Join Virlanie as it celebrates its 17th anniversary this July. Support Virlanie’s homes and programs by making a donation to the foundation so that you too, can give back the smile to street children. Visit www.virlanie.org to know how.
On Virlanie’s 17th year, school year 2009-2010 started on a high note because 433 children enrolled in formal schooling. 149 children from the residential homes and 284 from the outreach programs in the communities were enrolled to the nearby public elementary or secondary schools, as well as in colleges and universities. For the 52 children who have special concerns, in-house classes started in late June. While a total of 127 children attend the tutorial classes in our Magellan Learning Center.
Back to school
June 2, 2009
The first day of June is Back-to-School Day in the Philippines. For 17 years now, Virlanie has provided educational support to the children under its care. Virlanie children are enrolled to nearby public elementary and secondary schools; some pursue vocational training while some take up four-year degree courses in colleges / universities. Virlanie invites you to support our children as they go back to school. The foundation welcomes cash donations and school supplies and other educational materials. Visit www.virlanie.org to see how you can make a difference to a child’s future.
Join the Walk for Peace for Children on March 15, 2009
March 4, 2009Join the Walk for Peace for Children on March 15, 2009
Join the Walk for Peace for Children on March 15, 2009, SUNDAY at 7 AM and help spread the message of peace and non-violence for the children of the world.
Jean Beliveau, a Canadian citizen, decided to Walk for Peace in the year 2000. He started in his native land – Canada and has walked through 55 countries over the past 8 years. He has since arrived from Taiwan to now walk from the north of the Philippines. He has chosen to walk from Iloco s Norte moving along the coast towards Manila then to Cebu. He projects it will take him about 3 weeks to walk from Ilocos Norte to Manila.
The Walk for Peace for Children is in accordance with the United Nations’ proclamation: 2001-2010 - International Decade for a Culture of Peace and Non-violence for the Children of the World.
Virlanie is honored to have been chosen by this special globe-trotter, as his special cause. Virlanie Foundation is the largest private, non-sectarian child caring institution in metro Manila; the Foundation has 12 homes which provide food, clothing, shelter, education, and love to children who need special care and protection.
This March 15, 2009, Sunday at 7 AM, Virlanie Foundation invites you, your family and friends to join us in this worldwide walk for peace in the Philippines. The walk will start from Luneta Park, passing through Roxas Boulevard, and will end at the Cultural Center of the Philippines. After the event, Jean will set off again for his journey towards Cebu.
To join, simply send us your name, mobile number and e-mail address or you may contact me at the following:
MARVIN SEGURA
External Communications
Virlanie Foundation – Philippines
4055 Yague St., Makati City
Mobile:+63927 396 5558
+63920 9831 442
Tel.: +632 8953460
E-mail: walkforpeacephil@gmail.com
Links: www.virlanie.org or www.wwwalk.org
About Virlanie Foundation
January 28, 2009The Virlanie Foundation, Inc. (VFI) is a private non-sectarian child caring institution in Metro Manila, Philippines. The foundation serves children found living in the streets as well as those referred by other institutions. Virlanie works to prevent the future physical and psychological abuse of children. It envisions empowered children see a brighter future for themselves. It cares for more than two hundred (200+) children in its twelve (12) homes and three hundred (300) children through its out-reach programs.
Virlanie was founded in 1992 by Dominique Lemay, in partnership with Filipinos. Since that time, Virlanie has looked after more than 11,000 children in Metro Manila. Virlanie bases its dozens of projects and support services on three main programs: residential, support, and outreach.
VISION: Empowered children for a brighter future.
MISSION: To take care and look after the children in need of special protection.
GOAL: Virlanie Foundation, Inc. extends developmental services to children for them to become self-reliant, productive, independent individuals using the family atmosphere and reintegration to normal community life.
What does the foundation do?
Virlanie provides children a home. A family.
12 homes serve as the home to more than 200 children every year. Children can be in a Virlanie Home for as short as a few months to many years depending on their needs.
Apart from food, shelter and clothing, Virlanie provides children with opportunities to study, finds ways to try to re-unite children with their families (if they are capable of caring for the children), and endeavors to give children psychological intervention, and assistance with their legal cases.
Virlanie, through the help of individuals, organizations and companies provides nutritious meals for all 240 babies, toddlers and children, formal schooling and educational support and psycho-social developmental activities.
Why Virlanie Foundation Inc.?
Virlanie Foundation Inc. is one of the largest non-sectarian, non-profit organizations in the country that cares for street children. It has cared for more than 11,000 children in the last 16 years.
Virlanie is unique in that the foundation is not a center – it’s a home. A home where the prevailing atmosphere is that of a family. It has a father, mother and aunts who care for and provide formation to the children.
This home to street children, called Virlanie has been able to change the lives of many young people who otherwise, would have stayed in the streets, and would have not developed into responsible individuals. Consider this: In the last three years, Virlanie has re-united 368 children with their families, progressed 97 young adults to independent living and help 10 children to get adopted. Data shows that, of the above, 235 are still with their families, 83 are working and 45 are still studying.
Partnership with Virlanie
Virlanie welcomes donations of cash and in-kind. But it also harnesses the skills and generosity of volunteers – Filipinos and foreigners alike. The foundation sees the value of people as resources and therefore accepts short and long term volunteers to help care for the children.
Filipino corporate partners are encouraged to spend time with the children, be it at play or through structured activities. The aim is to give individuals from the corporate sector the opportunity to ‘do something’ that they like and that will benefit the child as well. From this, there have partnership which developed to a variety of cooperative actions. Some corporates have chose to field volunteers every weekend, some have become regular donors and volunteers, others decided to give Virlanie students the opportunity to learn a skill.