Help a student in need
Actress Jasmine Curtis-Smith and content creator Janina Vela, both longtime ambassadors of World Vision Philippines, believe that every child has the right to education and be given the proper tools to reach their full potential at school.
They were present when World Vision launched its annual back-to-school campaign at the PS Bank Center in Makati. This year, the campaign is called “One Bag One Dream.”
“It’s nice to be able to visit the communities and see the smiles of the children every time they receive their bags. It really encourages them, and really makes them feel excited to go back to school and lessens the worry of parents financially,” said Curtis-Smith.
Vela said, “My favorite part of my World Vision journey so far has been child sponsorship. I realized that these are real people with real lives and real stories. They are not just percentages, not just numbers and data. They are real kids who have real dreams and real goals just like we do.”
The campaign is a boost for Filipino students facing one major setback: getting their own school supplies. According to 2023 research by the World Remit Study, school supply costs in the Philippines have increased by 16 percent, putting an additional strain on household budgets.
Families must set aside at least 51 percent of their monthly income to cover essential school items, including pencils and notebooks.
This year, the goal is to raise enough funds to provide new learning kits worth P1,000 per kit. Last year, around 24,000 World Vision-assisted children received new learning kits from World Vision.
Anyone can be instrumental in helping children get back on track with renewed hope for learning by donating to the campaign or by sponsoring a child and donating for as low as P25 a day or P750 per month. This amount can help provide life-changing essentials for kids, such as education, clean water, health and nutrition.
As a sponsor, you can also build a relationship with the child through letters, photos and updates. Ultimately, the goal is to help the sponsored child and their family break free from poverty and build a sustainable community.
Visit worldvision.org.ph.
