Family of ten receives gifts for the new school year

Blessings can be overabundant sometimes. And for Dionaly, it is her children. Married at a young age of 17, she settled in a property owned by her husband’s kin. Both parents started to grow their family as the years passed.

Now, the family has grown way bigger than Dionalyn and Roberto, her husband, had planned. They have 8 children – from the eldest who are twins, Christine and Christina, ages 15 years old to the youngest, John Raizen, a newly born child.

With great family size comes greater responsibility for Dionalyn and Roberto. They need to keep up with their income for their children’s needs – which woefully falls short sometimes.

Roberto accepts construction jobs regularly, keeping him away from home on weekdays, while Dionalyn decided to pour all her attention and care to her children as a full-time mother. The breadwinner also finds other ways to earn other than bulldozing piles of gravels such as farming and fishing.

Aside from their food and shelter expenses, the parents also supply for their children’s education and health needs. Seven of the children will also need new school materials this school year.

The previous class openings have been a challenge for the family due to budget limitations – this year is an exception.  Dionalyn has a helper in putting up the school materials for her children.

Since World Vision sponsored three of Dionalyn’s kids – Faith, Dennis, and Vince (all in primary school) – they receive school supplies to set them for school.

A school kit includes a school bag with supplies inside appropriate for the child’s school level. These supplies include a set of notebooks, paper, pencils and pen, coloring materials and many more.

The school kit distribution is part of World Vision’s back to school project. It aims to support the educational needs of underprivileged children.

This year, around 1,500 children in Culasi, Antique alone have received school bag and school materials.

“This year is different for my children. They are more eager to go to school. My little daughter, Faith, is excited to use her new school supplies,” Dionalyn shares jovially.

Written by Mong Jimenez, World Vision/ September 8, 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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