#BringASmile to the Philippines
Helping students go to school with the basic things they need to learn.
Imagine this.
You send your children to school with barely enough to cover the basics. They then walk about 45 minutes each way, wearing old flip-flops, through a hilly area and across a dilapidated bridge made from several wooden planks.
And that's on a dry day.
For many of us, getting our children ready for school means making sure they have everything they need for the day. For some families in rural Sagay City, even the basics can be difficult to afford.
Sagay City is in Negros Occidental province, in the Western Visayas region of the Philippines.
The community around the school is largely rural and hilly. Many families depend on farming and fishing for their livelihood, and many students walk to school because roads in the area are limited.
There is also a significant level of poverty in the Negros Occidental province. In 2023, 32.7% of the province's population was living below the official poverty line.
Education presents another challenge. A USAID assessment of the Western Visayas education system found that Sagay City had one of the higher elementary school drop-out rates in the region during the years studied.
These are some of the reasons we chose to support students in Sagay City.
We believe that having the basic things needed for school should not be another challenge for a child to overcome.
Why Sagay City
How the Project Works
We work with the school to understand the most important needs of its students.
Depending on those needs, support may include:
School bags
Notebooks and writing supplies
School uniforms
Slippers or shoes
Learning materials
Other basic school necessities, including school fees
Our approach is simple and consistent with one of our values - equality.
We aim to provide the same type of supplies to all students at the school so that every student can benefit.
The School
Name: Romeo V. Agustin Elementary School
Address: Sitio Hamticon, Barangay Colonia Divina, Sagay City, Negros Occidental, Philippines
Principal: Julie Villamero Mayagma
Grade levels: Kindergarten to Grade 6
# of students: 78
The school serves children from about 5 to 12 years old.
We want to make sure that once they arrive, they have the basic supplies they need to participate and learn.
This project brings together three organizations with a shared goal - helping children stay in school.
We are grateful to the Filipino Social Club of Oakville (FSCO) for helping us raise funds and mobilize community support for this project.
On the ground, we are partnering with Treasures of Sagay Community Outreach Program (TOSCOP), a local NGO that supports children and families in Sagay City through programs including:
Adopt-A-Kinder School in Need
Scholarship Program
Adopt-a-Public School Children in Need
Adopt-a-Family in Need
Adopt-a-Community in Need
TOSCOP was founded by Myrah Fernandez-Hapitan, who grew up in Sagay City and now lives in Mississauga. Myrah is also an active member of FSCO.
From Canada to the Philippines, this partnership connects people who want to help with the community that needs it.
Working Together
The Impact of Your Donations
Your donation helps a child arrive at school with the basic things they need, and allows their family to put that money toward other necessities at home.
That's what #BringASmile is about.
Helping where a little support can make a real difference.
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Registered Charity #: 76875 9763 RR001