FH

The title is not a typographical error for "FHM". It really is 'FH' which means 'Food for the Hungry,' a non -profit, non-government institution which aims to equip, link and mobilize churches, leaders and families in overcoming all forms of human poverty by living in healthy relationships with God and His creation. Activities include feeding programs, scholarship grants / education sponsorship, some medical and housing supports, etc.

My close friend, Chill, works in FH and they plan to release a calendar next year, free for sponsors while for sale for others, to raise more funds for the institution. However, they need to feature FH beneficiaries in the calendars. My husband had the pleasure to took "photo-journalism" shots of the kids for the calendar publication.

Yesterday, my husband, my 2 kids (aged 7 and 5), my baby-sitter and I, together with Chill, headed for Bacoor, Cavite to visit the FH site. I brought along my kids for them to experience what life is outside the lesser comfort zone of poverty.

The kids (FH beneficiaries) did a Christmas card-making activity yeterday. They drew and colored Christmas themes on yellow-colored, pre-cut papers, wrote messages in it and submitted them to the area coordinator for sending to their sponsors in Canada. Each child has 1 Canadian sponsor for this area. My husband took picture of the children while they make the artistic cards for their sponsors. Of course, my 2 kids also made their own Christmas for Kaira's Ninang Chill and for Keziah's Ninong Vince, my other close friend. :)

After taking a number of shots in the church where the kids made Christmas cards, we walked further to the residencial areas to take more pictures of the kids in their houses and the the typical day's activity of the moms, as well as other livelihood activities which also serves as their other source of income. After shooting for half day, we took lunch then headed back home.

I just realized that it is really heart-lifting to volunteer in some CSR activities. I had volunteered so many times in our Company's CSR activity, Pasiglahin ang Batang Pinoy, a feeding program, but I got to had more realization when we volunteered for FH. This is mainly because:

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  This is purely a volunteer act, meaning the effort was very personal and the cost we incurred during the volunteer act came from my personal pocket, and not from the company's funds. We drove our own car, our own cameras and we bought our own food. Unlike with Pasiglahin, car servcice was always arranged for us, budget from the activities we make comes from the Pasiglahin budget andwe were just there to conduct the activities without spending a single centavo.


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  I had a chance to let my children experience and see with their own eyes the difference outside the community we are living in. At least they got to know not to waste our resources and spend their money wisely.


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  My husband was happy to share his expertise and talent by taking pictures of the actual activities for the benefit of the institution which eventually benefits the children.

However, this is another eye-opening activity that we are really much more lucky and blessed not to experience such poverty. FH had a very good mission to prioritize education to enable these children to improve the economic status of their families.

If you want to help or be a sponsor, kindly drop me an email @ maron.carey@gmail.com or straight to FH email @ fhiphilippines@fhi.net. You may also visit their website at www.fhi.net/fhiphilippines .

-maron-

05october2008

8:09 hrs