Meet Arquime, the boy with big dreams from Bukidnon

Meet Arquime, a future leader in the making! 
 
At 14 years old, Arquime from a rural community in Bukidnon is already showing what it means to lead with kindness, faith, and responsibility.  

This boy is a consistent honor student, an active student leader in school, and a loving elder brother to his five siblings. At home, he helps care for them while his parents work to earn a living selling binaki, a steamed corn delicacy in Bukidnon made with corn, butter, milk, and sugar. 

Arquime dreams of becoming an educator or a nurse because he wants to help people. 

“I want to become a nurse because I want to help people,” he shared. “Helping others makes me proud of myself and helps the community.” 

Power of Child Sponsorship 

Life has not always been easy for Arquime’s family. 

He lives with his grandparents and siblings in Bukidnon, where his parents work hard to make and sell binaki to support the family. His father works as binaki packer, while his mother is the one who sells it on the streets or in the market. But their income depends on the availability of corn and daily sales. 

“If we cannot get corn, we cannot make binaki, and we have no income,” said his mother, Aimie. “This forces us to borrow money and makes budgeting difficult because income is not stable.” 

The family also struggles with their poor water system, transportation costs due to oil price hike, and the rising cost of living. 

“Sometimes we only have water for half a month or less,” Aimie shared. “This affects hygiene and children’s ability to go to school.” 

In the middle of these challenges, World Vision’s Child Sponsorship program became a source of support and hope. 

Every year, sponsored children like Arquime receive school supplies such as notebooks, papers, pencils, school bags, and learning materials that help lessen the family’s expenses. Beyond these, sponsorship has opened doors for Arquime to attend activities, seminars, leadership gatherings, and learning opportunities that have helped him grow in confidence and skills. 

“He has experienced going to different places, which would not be possible without World Vision,” his mother said. 

Arquime has attended child leaders’ gatherings such as the Children’s Congress in places like Cagayan de Oro and even Manila, experiences that widened his world and helped him see that his voice matters. 

“I would not have reached where I am now without World Vision,” Arquime said. “It helped me join activities that built my confidence and social skills.” 

Through child sponsorship, Arquime is not only growing in school, but he is also growing as a young leader, a child advocate, and a boy with hope for the future. It is about unlocking his potential and empowering him become the person he dreams to be. 

1. Children are aware of God’s love 

Arquime believes that a good child is someone “who is respectful to elders, someone others can look up to, and someone who fears God.” 

Faith is a big part of his life, shaped by his family and strengthened through activities supported by World Vision. 

“The most important advice by my mother to me is to trust in God and He will do the rest,” Arquime said. 

Through World Vision’s Spiritual Nurture programs, children and parents in his community join activities that help them grow in faith, strengthen family relationships, and build emotional well-being. Through initiatives like Celebrating Families, children and parents learn positive discipline, spiritual nurture, and ways to support each other. 

Arquime’s mother hopes this will continue to shape her son and siblings as they grow. 

“I want them to grow spiritually, love God, and continue going to church,” she said. 

For Arquime, faith is not only about believing. It is also about living what he learns by teaching his younger siblings good manners and encouraging them to trust God. 

2. Children experience quality care and education 

Health and education matter deeply to Arquime because he believes it opens doors. 

“She always tells me to study hard so I can achieve my goals and become successful,” he said of his mother. “Education opens many pathways to success.” 

Arquime is a consistent honor student who works hard in school while also helping his family at home. He even helps his mother in their binaki livelihood, showing responsibility beyond his age. 

His mother sees this clearly. 

“I am proud of him,” Aimie said. “He is good at his studies. He is responsible and reliable at home. As the eldest, he helps at home and takes care of his siblings too when we work.” 

For families like theirs, even simple school expenses can be a burden. Child sponsorship helps lighten that load. 

“It helps by providing school supplies, which reduces our expenses,” Aimie said. “We no longer need to buy materials for Arquime. It helps us save money and reduces our financial burden.” 

World Vision also supports children through remedial learning sessions, literacy activities, life skills development, and caregiver training so parents can better support their child’s learning. 

These opportunities have helped him in another important way of building confidence. 

“They also help me overcome social anxiety and encourage me to speak in front of others,” he shared. 

3. Children are protected and empowered 

Arquime is not only growing as a student. He is also becoming a young leader in his community. 

He leads in the Barangay Children Association (BCA), where children learn about their rights, speak up for their protection, and participate in campaigns to end violence against children. They are also taught about disaster management and life skills. They are equipped as peer leaders and given safe spaces where their voices are heard. 

More than practical learning, this has broadened his horizons. 

“It helped me and other children become more empowered by joining activities and meeting other children with different experiences,” he said. 

Through child protection training, children and youth in his community are oriented on child rights, protection, and participation. Local systems are also strengthened to make sure children have safe reporting and referral pathways when they need help. 

Child Sponsorship is more than just one child 

For every one child sponsored through World Vision, four more benefit. As a World Vision sponsor, you can make a unique double impact – on a child and their community – so both can thrive.  

Arquime has become part of this movement as a young leader helping other children in his community.  

To his sponsor, Arquime has a simple message: 

“Thank you for continuing to help children every year.” 

Because of child sponsorship, Arquime is not only receiving support for school. He is growing in faith, learning with confidence, and becoming a child who is protected, empowered, and ready to lead! 

From a boy who once simply dreamed, to now taking real steps toward making that dream come true and that’s also because of you.