A simple bag, an enormous blessing
Antique, Philippines – In a quaint town of Culasi municipality, a family endures the beatings of everyday life as limited resources and poor health condition have taken its toll among the family members.
This is Rholan’s Family, they are considered being one of the most vulnerable families in Culasi, a 3rd-class municipality. After his father was diagnosed with diabetes, blurred vision and high blood, his mother has taken the responsibility of being the breadwinner. The family lives off to the total earnings of his mother through farm labor and laundry servicing.
Rholan’s Family is huge, a family of seven, and are living in the 3rd-class community for more than 10 years already. Until now, the family’s living condition remains simple – measly at most times.
His parents only earn a minimum wage that allows them to survive for a day. The lack of a proper source of income triggered more adversities in the family. The children would miss school plenty of times when the budget is tight. The youngest sibling has also developed skin rashes due to poor health attention.
Farm laborers earn a meager income during planting and harvest seasons. But there are still those who earn way more little than them. Lani, the breadwinner of the Taniongon family, needs to find ways however she can to support her 5 kids. During harvest seasons, she scavenges haystacks left by farmers. She collects the remaining rice grains by continuously shaking the hays. She spends a whole day to fill a sack. She then sells it for less than P500.
For Rholan ‘life is hard’. Realizing it at an early age, he developed a tough and independent personality. He imagines a life someday that will be totally opposite of their situation now. He anchors it to his dream of becoming a policeman.
Rholan’s youngest sibling is suffering from skin rashes. The child’s condition can be linked to the poor sanitation of his environment and the lack of health attention. his mother has already sent her child to the public health center but the rashes continue to emerge. While Rholan, 12 years old, strives to be a responsible and caring brother to his siblings. He imagines a life totally opposite of their situation now. He anchors it to his dream of becoming a policeman.
Thankfully, generous donors have reached out to children like Rholan who needs help especially this school year.
Rholan, along with more than 1,500 children in Culasi, received school kits. A single school kit includes a school bag, paper pad, pens, coloring materials and other school supplies.
For many, it is just a simple bag, but for Rholan it is indeed an enormous blessing. A stepping-stone to reach for his dreams.
Written by Mong Jimenez, World Vision/July 10, 2018
World Vision is a global Christian relief, development and advocacy organisation dedicated to working with children, families and communities to overcome poverty and injustice. World Vision serves all people, regardless of religion, race, ethnicity, or gender.
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