Never in my whole life had I seen children line up under the scorching sun just to get their names listed for a chance (a chance!) to get one children's book. Some of the children who fell in line didn't even know how to read!
Last Christmas, Isang Bata received book donations from children's book author Heidi Eusebio Abad. These were the books I distributed to the Kadiwa children yesterday. There were only around 47 books, but the number of children was way more than that. So we tried various strategies in distribution: siblings were to share, even cousins had to share, and the younger ones who couldn't read yet didn't get copies of the book.
Aside from the 47 books, I also gathered the books donated to Isang Bata last year so I could come up with a 100-book mini library for the Kadiwa community. The collection was turned over to NASAKA (Nagkakaisang Samahan sa Kadiwa), the local residents association in the area, for safekeeping and guardianship. I would like to thank Candy Villanueva Lykes, Lalaine Yanilla Aquino, Dino Narciso, Sara Denise Mendoza and May Tobias Papa for these books.
Isang Bata plans to work with Akap Bata again next month to launch a reading/storytelling project for the children in the area. Possibly, a literacy workshop might be conducted as well. Aside from living in poverty and unsafe conditions, some children were traumatized after a huge fire burned down their houses last January 29, 2011, killing 12 people including 5 children. A week after the fire, a violent demolition/dispersal was carried out by the City Engineering Office to relocate the residents to another area. Click to view Tudla Productions' video of the violent demolition and dispersal http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qWtrOYpw41Q
Get in touch with me, Ime, through 09179378617 or blubitel@yahoo.com if you want to help the children of Kadiwa.
Making a list of children who will get books
Swedish volunteer, Cecilia, reading to the children
Lining up in the sun for a signed copy of Abad's books
A long, long line it was
Who wants a book?!
Giving out the books
So happy to receive a copy
You could see that they were excited to read (or look at the pictures)
Akap Bata volunteers came up with a system to distribute the books to the children
Another Swedish volunteer, Amanda, played and sang with the children of Kadiwa
Fil-Swedish volunteer Marie playing games with the children
Cecilia had a full repertoire of children's action songs!
Amanda makes them listen to music on her iPod
Akap Bata's Secretary General Arlene Brosas: Gigibain ang bahay nyo, papayag kayo??
Akap Bata's Gift Giving and Feeding Project
Some of the children of Kadiwa, Barangay San Roque, Navotas City
Little girl amidst the rubble
Engrossed
New widow with her 1 year old Andrei
Talking to his father's picture (Antonio Homo, NASAKA's campaign officer, was gunned down last March 16, 2011 inside the NASAKA office)
With Akap Bata's Arlene Brosas and my newfound friend, Chloe aka Shembot :)
