The challenge

Extreme poverty is pervasive in the Philippines and nearly 23% of Filipino people live on less than $1.25 USD per day. In the country’s second most populated city, Cebu City, countless families live in dilapidated slum areas where they struggle daily to care for themselves and their children. Many young girls have their physical, emotional and psychological development put in the balance as they are left to their own devices in the streets while their parents work to make ends meet.

Early childcare is essential for girls’ healthy development, especially for those living in dangerous slum areas. At daycare, young girls are protected from the dangers of the streets and can learn and play in a safe environment, under the protection of a qualified teacher.

Although parents are often aware of the importance of daycare, they struggle to meet their children’s most basic needs and cannot afford to pay for daycare services and the related costs, such as the cost of school supplies and uniforms. These costs can add up to the equivalent of purchasing 7 kilograms of rice – or feeding seven family members for a week.

The solutions we're proposing

W4's field project assists parents and their young daughters living in Cebu City’s slums by running accessible childcare centers that provide a safe space for young girls while their parents work. The daycare centers offer safe play groups, early learning courses and nutritious daily meals for the girls, who are supervised by qualified daycare teachers and provided with the emotional and psychological support vital to their growth.

The impact of giving 

With a small donation to help pay for school supplies and/or a school uniform, you can help to keep a young girl off the streets and away from the health and safety hazards of a life in the slums. You can ensure that a young girl from a slum can enjoy her right to a childhood and to crucial education!