Monday, December 27, 2010

Wish Upon A Star - December 2010




302 Brigade joins the first ever "Wish Upon A Star" in Negros Oriental


The 302nd Infantry (Achiever) Brigade under the command of Colonel Manuel Luis M Ochotorena joined the gift giving event dubbed as "Wish Upon A Star" initiated by the Oriental Negros Children's Advocacy Network (ONCAN) in cooperation with other stakeholders.

The event which would highlight the simple wishes of 200 poor with sponsors but deserving children all over Negros Oriental was held in the afternoon on December 17, 2010 at the Robinsons Place, Dumaguete City. Their wishes along with the children's pictures were hung in the mall's Christmas tree where everyone can see.

At 4:00 o'clock in the afternoon that day, the wishes of the 200 children came into reality. Some wished for food, stroller for the special children, clothes, bags, shoes, bicycles to be used in going to school, and many others that these children did not have before.

The children were full of joy when they received their gifts, while tears of joy were seen from the parents, donors including some spectators. After the gift giving, the children were delighted while taking their snacks inside the Robinsons Place.

The event was the first ever gift giving activity to have been attended by the military in the province with the 302nd Achiever Live Band making the experience very memorable for the children beneficiaries. The 11th Infantry (Lapu-lapu) Battalion under Lt Col Ramil M Bitong and the 79th Infantry (Masaligan) Battalion under Lt Col Pio Q Dinoso lll facilitated sixty children beneficiaries ranging from five (5) to twelve (12) years old who were mostly children of former rebels and poor families in the hinterlands.

Also highlighting the activity was the program graciously organized with the presence of distinguished officials and guests in the province. Significant attendees were Congressman George P Arnaiz of the 2nd District of Negros Oriental, NOPPO Provincial Director PSSUPT Rey Lyndon Lawas, Rainbow Village Director Mike Yost, Dumaguete City Administrator William Ablong, ONCAN President Marietta "Baby" Jambora and other beneficiaries.

PSYCHOLOGICAL SUPPORT FOR ORPHANS AND ABUSED CHILDREN

PSYCHOLOGICAL SUPPORT FOR ORPHANS AND ABUSED CHILDREN

Children playing in Negros Oriental

(starting in January 2011)

The Negros Oriental Children’s Advocacy Network (ONCAN) is a network of 30 organizations working with children in the Province of Negros Oriental. Based on the mapping of ONCAN members in 2010 the psychological support services to children in need ranked as a first and most urgent among most of the network members.

Many orphans and abused children need counseling to overcome traumatic experiences, but this service is not locally available or not affordable for the participating NGOs supporting and caring for these children.

Together with ONCAN Werde is now surveying the particular needs of 20 NGOs within the ONCAn Network and based on recommendations of this survey will support and initiative to provide this much needed service.

The Werde will support salary of the psychologist, which is estimated to be around 500 Euro/month, and ONCAN members will cover all associated costs of providing the service which will give individual and group counseling to those children most in need.

Sept 7th, 2010- News articles

Sept 7th, 2010- News articles written by Media Students of Dumaguete's Universities are uploaded

20 + news articles written by media students of three Dumaguete Universities under the guidance of ABV Volunteer Gary Evans have been uploaded to various ONCAN member pages capturing their visit and the emotions they felt in their assignment.

ONCAN member NGO's Included in these excellent reports for your reading are: Saceda, Bata Ng Calabnugan , LCP, DCFH, Rainbow Village, Santo Nino, GWave, Mountain View, Casa Miani Arverdi, International Care Ministry, Friendship Home Foundation, YATTA and GP Rehab

Thanks go to the students who have helped bring the excellent work of the many members to the attention of a wider audience.

Thursday, July 29, 2010

Another farewell

Only a week or so after saying good bye to our other ABV Volunteers, Keith Carpenter and Lei Parker we now say goodbye to our ABV Tri-medai volunteer Gary Evans who will be returning to Australia.

These last few months have seen an exceptional development in the member organisations of ONCAN from project proposal writing through to web sites being developed and more recently the training and advice that ONCAN member NGO's have received in regards to self promotion through the use of media.

Everyone is to be congratulated for having attended the many workshops, interviews and meetings required to ensure we gained the maximum benefit from our Australian volunteers.

Over the coming months it will be our pleasure to bring you stories of the many member NGO's who will now blossom from the advice and guidance they have received.

Thank you to the Australian Buisness Volunteers for the excellent assistance privided to ONCAN members and we look forward to maintaing a close friendship with those who came so far to volunteer their time and assist our many causes.

Please make sure you look through the many many ONCAN member NGO webpages where you will begin to learn more of the commitment, dedication, accomplishment and celebration we have in our network of incredible members