kids helping kids

Everytime I’m stalled at a stoplight and a kid comes to my window, be it begging for alms or selling sampaguita, it is always with a heavy heart that I decline to give them money. I don’t want to encourage them to make a living out on the streets at that age, and I don’t want them to make use of the money I will give them on things that will make them worse off – like rugby or gambling. I always promise myself that the next time I’m placed in a similar situation, I would give them something more substantial that they could use, but I end up forgetting about my resolve until I find myself again at a different stoplight, with a different child knocking on my window.

It always makes me sad seeing these children, out on the street, not playing like kids are supposed to. A lot of them, though they are more fortunate than orphans are (because they have families to go home to), are sometimes worse off, because they are made to work on the streets in order to earn their keep in their homes. I’m sure you see them too, walking along with you when you are on your way to catch the trike or the bus, balancing trays of turon and banana-q on their heads, selling you sampaguita, or begging for alms by your car window. I used to always tell myself that they’re not really my problem, and that they have parents who should be taking care of them, but the reality is, a lot of them don’t. You need only to realize that that is the very reason why they’re out on the street.

Street kids need help too. Sometimes, even more than orphanage kids do. Because their parents, even if they are present, do not take better care of them.

A couple of us were talking about what we thought street kids needed the most, and we decided to come up with a project that would allow us to share to street kids things that were more substantial than just the occasional P5 or left-over banana-q that we usually dole out (if at all). We decided to give out care packages containing things that we think street kids needed badly (like slippers – me), or things that we thought would be good for them to experience (a taste of your favorite childhood treat / hobby – like crayons and coloring books – tessa).

Anyone interested in helping us come up with the care packages by donating their favorite treats/cheap thrills/hobby packs to street kids are very much welcome to join! We are targeting at least 50-100 children, but with your help maybe we could give out more! It doesn’t have to be expensive – just sincere and from the heart. Let’s give the poor kids a good memory to remember this Christmas. Do email me at iababie@yahoo.com or sophiamarielee@gmail.com if you want to help.