Created in 1992, Virlanie Foundation Incorporated (VFI) is the largest private non-sectarian child-caring institution in Metro Manila, the Philippines. Virlanie Foundation’s work is focused on disadvantaged children. It cares for, loves and accompanies each child whose traumatic experiences need to be healed.

The Foundation strives to build a better future for these children.

Contact us: sponsorship@virlanie.org

www.virlanie.org

1992: The birth of Virlanie Herrod Home for Young Adults (1st home & office - 14 street children were welcomed) Family Program Gabay Buhay Home (last quarter of the year)

1993 : Elizabeth Home (for abused girls)1994 : Caress Home (for abused boys) Drop In Center Medical Program

1995 : Marco Polo Home and Marco Polo Care Center (for abandoned children) l’Envol Home (children transferred from Drop In Center)1996 : Jade Home (for disabled children) Ella Yallah Home (as support to Gabay Buhay Home) Mother and Child Home (for babies and unwed mothers) Herrod Home 2 (Masaya Home)1999 : Family Reunification Program2001: Young Adults Program (YAP)2002: Magellan Learning Center2003 : Children’s Legal Rights Office (CLRO)2006 : Mobile Unit (in the streets of Quiapo and Divisoria) Aime Home for disabled children arriving from Reception and Action Center2007 : Patricia Halfway Home (for children in conflict with the law) Open Day Center Psychological Program

Acknowledgments I would like to thank the devoted sponsors who spent time writing their testimonials and agreed to be featured in this edition:

Jim and Véronique Larkham, Serge Pelois and Marie-Josée Lucas.

To the Virlanie children who shared their experiences with us, thank you. Also, thank you to Ysabel Locsin of Toolbox D for the Manila Letter’s design and layout and Bibing Pascual for coordinating the printing at LSA Printing Press Inc.

The Virlanie Manila Newsletter 2009-2010 ‘Journey of Smiles’ was managed and produced by Héloïse Monnet, Veniza Lucente, and Maren Pascual, Celine Santillan,

For comments/inquiries, email us at sponsorship@virlanie.org

Thank you to our partners:

I want to sponsor 1 child more children _______ (please indicate number of children) Elementary: Php 800 per month or Php 9,600 per year High school: PhP 1000 per month or Php 12,000 per year College/Vocational: Php 2,000 per month or Php 24,000 per year

I will be sponsoring for 2 years(vocational/college) 4 years(secondary/HS) 6 years (elementary) _______ others

It is important to fill out the following:

Name (Mr./Ms.):_________________________________________ Last Name: _________________________

Mailing Address: ________________________________________________________________________________

Email address:_________________________________________ Tel. No.: _______________________________

Visit : www.af-usa.org

and to Donate toVirlanie !

Sponsor a Virlanie child!

1992

1993 1994

1995

1996

1997

1998

1999 2001

2002

2003

2006

2007

Virlanie through the years…

Send this pledge form by mail to Virlanie Foundation 4055 Yague Street, Bgay Singkamas, 1204 MAKATI, PHILIPPINES or by email to sponsorship@virlanie.org

If you are in the USA and would like to donate/ sponsor

*N.B.: For US residents, a tax

deduction is possible for each

donation made through our partner

Ayala Foundationd’année.

Dear friends,

When I arrived in the Philippines 23 years ago to set up a foundation for street children…,I did not imagine that I would spend majority of my lifetime here. In establishing Virlanie Foundation five years later, I followed my conviction and vision to form street children in order for them to have a better life.

Looking back, I can’t help but feel proud of what “we” have achieved. “We” because I have never been alone in this adventure—a lot of people joined me in this endeavour . In fact, some Filipino staff members have been with me since the very beginning. Numerous volunteers, both Filipinos and foreigners, have also put their trust in us and supported us in our work morally and financially.

Dominique LemayFounder-President of Virlanie

Through this journal, I am happy to finally share with you a bit of my journey with the street children in Manila—achievements, challenges, changes, and a lot of happiness and smiles!

In the late 1980’s, while Filipinos were enjoying their renewed freedom after the Marcos regime, I decided to participate, as humbly as I could, to help the Philippines build a new nation. We all knew this change wouldn’t be easy but still, we decided to create Virlanie: to take care of the most forgotten ones—the street children.

Gradually, we and the children learned from each other. We learned the true needs of the children and young people living in the streets; so we decided to diversify our homes according to these needs, these “challenges’. We created programs that would address various difficult situations - from prevention all the way to providing healing and reunification. Most importantly, we focused our work towards what the children have missed the most: the care and love of a family. That is the reason why each Virlanie home has a mother (“nanay”), a father (“tatay”) and house aunts (“titas”).

Similarly, the sponsorship program sprung out from my goal to provide a better future for the children. Fifteen years ago, when I went back to France, I wrote an article about a girl named Nanette. Out of nowhere, I received a call from Serge Pelois, an old friend, telling me that he wanted to support her. After our conversation, he started to send financial support for her through Virlanie Foundation on a regular basis. In return, I would send him regular feedback about Nanette’s development in the home and her performance in school. Shortly after that, my cousin, Marie José Lucas, who volunteered in Virlanie for a year, also got interested in sponsorship and eventually sponsored a child.

From then on, we continued to welcome individuals’ generosity in sponsoring a child. Now, the sponsorship program has evolved into a formal structure to nurture a personal relationship between the child and his/her sponsor. In France, we call the sponsor a “god father” and I think this is pretty much the most important part of sponsorship—that the sponsor acts like a god father to the child.

Until now, I marvel at these individual’s willingness to care for street children. Their eagerness to know them personally even through letters, their love and commitment to ensure that the children have a normal life are tantamount to a parent’s concern with his/her children.

3

I was told that Filipinos are resilient individuals. Amidst difficulties, they are able to smile and quickly recover from whatever tough situ-ation they are in. I was able to witness this special trait again when typhoon Ondoy (Ketsana) hit the country last September 2009.

Together with several Virlanie staff and volunteers, we asked help from friends to aid the families in our outreach communities especially in Payatas (most children and staff in our homes also donated some of their belongings). In addition, some paintings of our children in Sibuhi (Center for Creativity and Development of Virlanie) were auctioned to raise funds for the families affected by the typhoon.

Dear Kuya Dominique,I live under the bridge in Quiapo—by the river. My family and I lost everything during the typhoon. I would never forget how fast the level of the water rose. It was at our feet and then all of a sudden we got submerged in water. I was so scared. I managed to save my grand mother who was stuck in the house because she couldn’t swim. At this moment, I realized how much more important life is than material things. Virlanie helped us by providing us furniture to go back to school, rebuilding our homes and giving us the things we needed the most (for cooking, sleeping…) Thanks to your help, we were able to go to school as soon as it reopened.Salamat kuya! (Thank you “big brother”)Mary Grace

Mary Grace is a beneficiary of the Open Day Center in Quiapo

Affected families: 89,953 families /451,683 persons

Deceased: 100

People missing: 32

Cost of damage: PhP108.7M in infrastructure;

PhP212,000M+ in agriculture*

June 2009 to May 2010 in the Country of Smiles – the Philippines!

Typhoon Ondoy

Virlanie was able to help more than 120 families in the communities. Five of these families completely lost their homes and belongings. Some families were assisted to return to their provinces through our Balik Probinsya program.

*Source : National Disaster Coordinating Council, http://www.comelec.gov.ph

4

The electionsThis year, not only did I witness Filipinos’ resiliency, but I was also able to see their hunger for change during the 2010 elections. It was a historic year for the Philippines because it was the first time automated machines were used during elections.

EducationOne of the most crucial problems the new president will have to address is education.

For me, education is one of the most important rights a child should enjoy. That is why, all the children of Virlanie receive support for their schooling from staff and the children’s sponsors.

However, in the Philippines, education is not easily accessible to everyone. Even though elementary school is supposed to be free, indirect educational costs like uniforms or school supplies are insurmountable obstacles for most of the families. In this light, our Family Program is mainly focused on assisting the schooling of children who are living with their family but do not have enough resources to send their children to school. The assistance mostly comes from our sponsorship program.

Like any other parent, I am proud to see all our children so excited to go back to school every year in June.

This school year, many of them were rewarded for their efforts. It’s even more touching for us because when they arrive in the Foundation, most of them have never gone to school and their chance to succeed is limited.

Graduates 2010 :

College students: 4 -Annlyn Bantugan, BS Physical Therapy -Norbeth Santiago, BS Nursing -Readel Tan, BS Hotel and Restaurant Management -Jayson Lucrecio, BS Marine Technology. Elementary: 24High school: 16Vocational courses: 4

Total Phil population 2010: 94.0 M

75.3% only reach grade 61 teacher for 65 students and 3 students for 1 book in averageIt takes a student an average of 7.57 years to complete 6 years of elementary

source: http://www.deped.gov.ph

51 million people voted

- about 3 million were first time voters

- 40% of which are age 18 – 35 years old

- Elected president: Benigno Aquino III, son of former President Cory and Senator Ninoy Aquino

source: http://www.gmanews.tv

5

Virlanie todayAs I have already mentioned, the Virlanie homes were designed to have an atmosphere of a stable family. Most Virlanie Homes are situated in Barangay Singkamas, Makati City. The support programs provide service to the children in the homes while the outreach programs go to the most needy parts of the city. In 2009 alone, 480 children were cared for in our homes and 761 were assisted by our outreach programs. With a total of 1241 children assisted, we helped 228 children more than in 2008!

Here is a diagram that I like to present as an introduction to how we work. (The numbers are for the whole year of 2009)

Support ProgramsDue to poverty or inaccessibility of education, many children who are welcomed at Virlanie have little or no experience of going to school. For some this is coupled with untoward experiences. Virlanie has established programs to help them cope with these challenges.

Magellan Learning Center

Supports the children’s additional needs in terms

of education

Sibuhi Center for Creativity and Development

Honing the children’s skills in art, sports, music

and other talents

Psychological Program

Looks after the health of the children in the homes

Medical Program

Provides psychological support to the children living in Virlanie Homes

Outreach programs These programs bring Virlanie to “where it is needed”—be it in the streets, under the bridge, in the market place, in the poor communities, and even in the provinces.

3 components: education, health services, and psycho-social intervention for 200 children aged 0 to 17

Street families can cook and bathe here. The children have structured learning activities and also receive assistance for their schooling. 112 street children and adults

Helps parents to take care of their children better and helps support the schooling of children living in the poorest communities. 247 children

Legal counsel and assistance and protection of the rights of the children. 39 children / young adults

Mobile UnitOpen Day

Center

Children’s Legal Right Office

Family Program

The SIBUHI program also organizes summer camps every May. 72 children from 6 to 12 years old participated in 2010. At the end of the summer, a program is organized where children can showcase their talents. In addition, the Virlanie choir produced a CD with 11 songs in the last quarter of 2009.

6

Temporary HomesHere, disadvantaged children are given the opportunity to readapt to a structured social life for about six months to one year. During this period, the staff determines if they can be reunified with their family. They are either moved to another Virlanie home or escorted back to their relatives.

Specialized HomesHere, children are provided with more than just a home and a family. They also receive interventions, treatments, and therapies to help them overcome the traumas they have experienced.

Ella Yallah Home

23 children from 11 to 20

years old

Herrod Home 2(Masaya)

28 children from 10 to 12 years old

Herrod Home 1 (Tanglaw)

25 children from 6 to 12 years oldGabay BuhayHome

24 children from 10 to 20 years old

Programs Towards Sustainable LifeThese programs aim to facilitate the transition of the children and young adults as they get reunited with their families or as they move out from a Virlanie Home to live independently.

Family Reunification Program

Young Adults Program

73 children reunified with their families but continue to receive educational assistance from Virlanie

Prepare the young adults to live independently 112 young adults

Jade Home

24 differently abled children

Aime Home

19 differently abled children

Elizabeth Home

25 abused girls

Caress Home

21 abused boys

Drop In Center

98 children from 9 to 14

years old

Patricia Halfway Home

31 boys in conflict with the law above 15

years old

Marco Polo Care Center

58 children from 3 to 8 years old

Mother and Child Home

52 children from 0 to 4 years old and 35 mothers from 15 to 24 years old

Family HomesWhen it is not possible to reunite the children with their families, we accommodate them in one of our Family Group Homes where they can be provided with a loving and stable environment

7

Sponsorship in Virlanie

t

VIRLANIE FRA

EDM

ASMAE

VIRLANIE PHIL

ETM

USA

PHP 1300 = US$30

PHP 28 000 = US$635

PHP 4000 = US$90

Food

Basic medical needs

Transportation PHP 4800 = US$109

primary school high school and college

PHP800 =US$18

PHP1500=US$34

PHP 19 000=US$430

Housing

School uniform

Pieces of school furniture

Beyond the walls of Virlanie, thousands of people care for underprivileged children across the globe. For me, the sponsorship program is a way to make the connection between these people and Virlanie children. In a way, it is like establishing a long-distance family relationship!

Majority of our sponsors are from France through our partners, namely: Virlanie France, ASMAE, and Enfants du Mékong. The rest are from Belgium through Enfance Tiers Monde, Filipinos in Manila and the US through Ayala Foundation USA, Swiss through Virlanie Switzerland and Canadians through Virlanie Quebec. To mention a few more, some sponsors are from Spain, Germany, Italy, UK and some Asian countries.

In May 2010, 691 sponsorships were active in Virlanie. The pledges primarily fund the education and basic health care of the children, and even their basic needs, which are food, clothing and shelter. Each child has particular needs and thus implies different costs to the Foundation. Here are examples to get an idea of what costs are generated each year for a child living in our homes.

8

Sponsors corner We were both excited at the prospect of meeting Filrose at last after having been her sponsors for several years. But we were really overwhelmed when we actually met her. She jumped into my arms immediately when we arrived at her home and she was laughing and crying at the same time. She was so happy to see us both and wouldn’t let go of my hand when we walked from her home to the Virlanie Office.

The children in the home play a lot of chess and when Filrose asked me to play it with her, I was very happy. But unfortunately she had me in check mate within ten minutes, looked into my eyes in wonderment and said ‘this is the first game of chess I have ever won!’ So much for my standard!

To sum up, we wouldn’t have missed this visit for anything and would encourage any sponsor to do the same as we are sure that their children would be very happy to see them.

Jim LarkhamJim et Véronique Larkham visited us in March 2010

Exchange of smiles!“… I am happy to know that you are doing well in school … It’s very cold this time in France … I hope you ask Dominique to teach you a few words in French … Good luck in your school … I love you and I think of you a lot ...”

Such simple exchange of thoughts always moves me every time I receive an email from a sponsor to his/her sponsored child.

Our sponsored children also write to their sponsors three times a year: - in April, for Easter- in June, as the school year starts (includes a school report of the previous school year as well as a recent picture of the sponsored child)- in December, for Christmas (with the progress report of the child made by the social worker)

The children like spending time drawing and writing their cards for their sponsors. But they are even happier when they receive news from them! That’s why we really encourage the sponsors to write back to their children so that they can feel that someone is thinking of them, trusting in their future and considering them as part of their own family. This year we received 371 letters, faxes, emails and simple presents from the sponsors.

I hope we receive even more news from you by next year!

“Being a sponsor is so much more than just a financial support.”

I am so impressed with how a lot of our sponsors take this statement. Every year, we have the honor to welcome more and more sponsors who come and visit their sponsored children. This year, not less than 6 sponsors came, namely: Antoine Saint-Girons, André Pophillat, Véronique and Jim Larkham, Catherine Durant-Puirroux, and Véronique Sapin-Capel.

Indeed, I am always very touched by those first meetings. The children as well as their sponsors are always so happy to get to know each other.

I would like to thank our sponsors for traveling all the way to the Philippines to show how much they love and care for their sponsored child, especially Catherine and Véronique, who both volunteered for some time to give pottery lessons and art therapy to our children.

9

I now realize the impact we can have on the life of a child. I know that our work is not only supporting him while he is part of our programs, but also accompanying him as he leaves the foundation. You cannot let your child go if he is not ready to live independently. This important step in life should be prepared way before the child becomes an adult.

I seriously emphasize the fact that our children must receive a decent education and that their studies should lead them to employment so that they would feel at ease in the future. It is mainly sponsorship who makes this possible.

However, it is not enough to be educated in order to become a responsible adult. The children must also be surrounded by their family and friends to decide what’s best for them and to be able to manage their own budget.

That is the reason why we created the Young Adults Program (YAP) 8 years ago—to support them in the crucial stage of their life through trainings, orientations and by helping them find a job.

After so many years in our homes, it is indeed hard to live independently. The young adults may feel like they are left on their own and this step can be very difficult for them on the personal and affective side. That is why, at present, we are working on reinforcing the YAP

through the establishment of a new program where we will provide them with the opportunity to live indepedently while receiving support from Virlanie. This will be called l’Envol and should be started in 2011. On the other hand, the sponsorship of a child who is about to leave the Foundation or who has already finished his studies will still last for 6 months. It is important to give them time to adapt to their new life, to find a stable job, a sustainable source of income and a decent place to stay before we let them fly away.

Dear Kuya Dominique,,

As you know, I have stayed in Virlanie almost all my life. I have lived here since I am four years old. I just finished my studies in Information Technology and I will soon be able to earn a living and go live on my own. I am a bit scared to leave the home and to go meet the unknown world outside but I am confident that I can do it and this is just a phase I’m going through. At the end of the day, I’m still grateful that my Virlanie family continues to give me moral support.

The Young Adults Program helped me a lot. I now feel responsible for myself and confident in life. But another thing that I will always cherish is my sponsor who stayed with me for so many years. I’m happy to make my sponsor proud of what I have become. Now that I have completed my studies, he will be able to help other children, but I hope I will keep in touch with him and maybe even meet him someday.

Maraming salamat po! (Thanks a lot)

DanDan

Dandan is 20. He is now working in a hotel in Manila and is about to live on his own.

Fly away

10

1992: The birth of Virlanie Herrod Home for Young Adults (1st home & office - 14 street children were welcomed) Family Program Gabay Buhay Home (last quarter of the year)

1993 : Elizabeth Home (for abused girls)1994 : Caress Home (for abused boys) Drop In Center Medical Program

1995 : Marco Polo Home and Marco Polo Care Center (for abandoned children) l’Envol Home (children transferred from Drop In Center)1996 : Jade Home (for disabled children) Ella Yallah Home (as support to Gabay Buhay Home) Mother and Child Home (for babies and unwed mothers) Herrod Home 2 (Masaya Home)1999 : Family Reunification Program2001: Young Adults Program (YAP)2002: Magellan Learning Center2003 : Children’s Legal Rights Office (CLRO)2006 : Mobile Unit (in the streets of Quiapo and Divisoria) Aime Home for disabled children arriving from Reception and Action Center2007 : Patricia Halfway Home (for children in conflict with the law) Open Day Center Psychological Program

Acknowledgments I would like to thank the devoted sponsors who spent time writing their testimonials and agreed to be featured in this edition:

Jim and Véronique Larkham, Serge Pelois and Marie-Josée Lucas.

To the Virlanie children who shared their experiences with us, thank you. Also, thank you to Ysabel Locsin of Toolbox D for the Manila Letter’s design and layout and Bibing Pascual for coordinating the printing at LSA Printing Press Inc.

The Virlanie Manila Newsletter 2009-2010 ‘Journey of Smiles’ was managed and produced by Héloïse Monnet, Veniza Lucente, and Maren Pascual, Celine Santillan,

For comments/inquiries, email us at sponsorship@virlanie.org

Thank you to our partners:

I want to sponsor 1 child more children _______ (please indicate number of children) Elementary: Php 800 per month or Php 9,600 per year High school: PhP 1000 per month or Php 12,000 per year College/Vocational: Php 2,000 per month or Php 24,000 per year

I will be sponsoring for 2 years(vocational/college) 4 years(secondary/HS) 6 years (elementary) _______ others

It is important to fill out the following:

Name (Mr./Ms.):_________________________________________ Last Name: _________________________

Mailing Address: ________________________________________________________________________________

Email address:_________________________________________ Tel. No.: _______________________________

Visit : www.af-usa.org

and to Donate toVirlanie !

Sponsor a Virlanie child!

1992

1993 1994

1995

1996

1997

1998

1999 2001

2002

2003

2006

2007

Virlanie through the years…

Send this pledge form by mail to Virlanie Foundation 4055 Yague Street, Bgay Singkamas, 1204 MAKATI, PHILIPPINES or by email to sponsorship@virlanie.org

If you are in the USA and would like to donate/ sponsor

*N.B.: For US residents, a tax

deduction is possible for each

donation made through our partner

Ayala Foundationd’année.

Created in 1992, Virlanie Foundation Incorporated (VFI) is the largest private non-sectarian child-caring institution in Metro Manila, the Philippines. Virlanie Foundation’s work is focused on disadvantaged children. It cares for, loves and accompanies each child whose traumatic experiences need to be healed.

The Foundation strives to build a better future for these children.

Contact us: sponsorship@virlanie.org

www.virlanie.org