Friday, August 11, 2006

The Children of Hope


Poverty is one thing that is immediately attached to the Philippines. While it is most common for third world classified countries, perhaps the most affected people are the children who have been deprived of a clean and decent living and education. Street children, the poorer classes living in the suburbs of Metro Manila are the unfortunate victims who have to live with what they have. The people would immediately be moved by their site, living in shanties and garbage is something most of us, especially the one who are able to read this article as fortunate and lucky.

At the moment, we are all suffering from the effects of the economic turmoil that has been besetting most parts of the world. Imagine us, the more fortunate Filipinos to be able to surf the web, eat at classy restaurants or even go shopping at times yet we complain of lack of satisfaction, should be content with being where they are at the moment. We have the luxury of adapting to any situation, yet we are still where we are right now, not having to be limited towards living in unlikely places like garbage dumps or shanties where people are groping for means of being able to live a more comfortable life. Some of these Children of Hope do not even get a decent education. So how fortunate are we at that?

Some people do charity at times, but for people to do this alone is not enough. The temporary relief is good for a day or up to a week. But then what? To them, people cannot classify them to the street children who have been plaguing the streets selling Sampaguitas or the blind people who beg for loose change on the streets as part of a syndicate. This in itself is already a pathetic site. Using the poor people to do their dirty work is a crime that has not been pinned down, probably because there is a larger force at the back of it all. But this is another article to be written.

Pity and concern, these are the initial things that such a sight will return to us for the children deprived of decency in their lives. It takes a lot of patience to be able to understand and show these people the true understanding. Much of them are sure to be disoriented, and aware of what hard earned money is all about. But yet, people are not satisfied, particularly the people who are filthy rich. Their satisfaction doesn’t seem to be set or they are just too greedy to be satisfied.

In this regard, the Hope World Foundation aims to aid in any way it can to these unfortunate children. It is good to note that such an organization aims to help these children out. But how about us? Do we really care? Or are we just content on our comfort zone to even give it a thought? A glimpse on the plight of such children can be seen on this site by my good friend PARC about the Children of Hope.

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