Touching Lives

I joined a non-profit organization called Hands on Manila that centers on volunteer opportunities/services in Metro Manila, Philippines. The organization has a variety of programs to choose from:

1. Arts
2. Health and Nutrition
3. Sports and Recreation
4. Education and Enrichment Project
5. Caring for the Community and the Environment
6. Caring for the Children and Elderly
7. Human Solutions (skill- based volunteers)

 To be a part of Hands on Manila (HOM) one must attend their orientation given every last Thursday of the month. Location of the orientation varies. My friends and I had our orientation at the Philippine Daily Inquirer Building in Pasong Tamo, Makati. There is a registration fee that includes all the necessary things you needed for the program (volunteer passport, newsletter, volunteer project listings.) The orientation takes about an hour or so, after that you are officially part of HOM! :)

There is a calendar of volunteer projects inside the newsletter and there you can see all the schedule of all the volunteer activities that you can choose from. When you like a certain program, make sure to contact first the person assigned to the program so that you'll know what to do or if there are certain changes to be made on schedule etc.

The very first program we have attended is the Breakfast Club held at Philippine Daily Inquirer Building where you get to interact with kids and eat together with them. Besides that, you get to meet a lot of new and cool people! There are magic tricks and games that the kids surely enjoy. The kids get to show their talents such as singing, rapping and drawing. One of the kids named Ramona gave me her drawing of a dress. She dreams of becoming a fashion designer one day. We had KFC for lunch. My friends and I brought candy goodies for them. Later did we know that some of the kids can't go to school because they can't afford the tuiton fee. :( We collected money from everyone and hopefully the sum is enough to send these kids to school.

As we bid our goodbyes, I am still hoping that I would get to see those kids again. I hope that they can enroll in the coming school year and may their hopes and dreams become reality. My first volunteer work is quite an experience because I learned how to share my blessings and and to give love and attention to the needy. Meeting all of them is truly a great honor!

Breakfast Club

Visit Hands On Manila for more info: http://www.handsonmanila.org.ph/
~v