ChildFund Japan (CFJ) Philippine Branch, in partnership with the Institute of Primary Health Care (IPHC) of Davao Medical School Foundation, Inc., has been implementing its Sponsorship Program (SP) in a partner community in Davao del Sur for more than 10 years.
One of the children in the program is Zereal, a 14-year-old Grade 8 student from a local public school. She lives with her parents and siblings in a farming community. Their family belongs to the Cebuano ethnolinguistic group. She has been part of SP since 2019.
Her father works as a farmer, while her mother helps manage both farm work and household responsibilities. Growing up in a family that relies on farming for their livelihood, Zereal understands the value of hard work. She helps her mother with daily household chores. Like many families in their community, they rely on simple resources for cooking and water.
Despite the challenges, she dreams of becoming a nurse one day, inspired by her desire to care for others and contribute positively to her community.
Through the SP, she has received school supplies such as notebooks, shoes, bags, and uniforms, which help her attend classes prepared and confident. Access to medical check-ups and basic health support also ensures that she stays healthy and ready to learn. In addition, she participated in sessions on family relationships and children’s rights, where she learned the importance of respect, communication, and understanding of her rights and responsibilities as a child.
Reflecting on her experience, she shares:
“The Sponsorship Program helped me discover my talents and abilities. I learned more about myself. I sincerely thank ChildFund Japan and my sponsor for the positive changes I am experiencing. I hope you can continue helping many more children like me achieve our goals in life. Thank you very much, ChildFund Japan!”
