A Manger in the Metro....

Below is a beautiful article for our KBF Nazareth Home entitled "A Manger in the Metro" published by Mabuhay Magaine in May 2011.

"In a society where babies are abandoned in planes and bus stations, we meet soon-to-be-mothers who will defy the odds to make a better life with their children. Reports from Mixkaela Villalon and Anika Ventura.

Do you want to see my baby?” 14-year-old Jenny* (not her real name) asked as she took my hand. We followed her to a quiet room where a sweet little boy slept in a crib.

“He’s going to a foster home in a few months but I can visit him. When I’m 18 years old, I can bring him home with me. His name is Gian,” she said.

Jenny is among some 20 residents—aged 13 to 35—at the Nazareth Home for Single Mothers, a halfway home in Quezon City run by the Kaisahang Buhay Foundation (KBF) to support pregnant women who have been abandoned by their partners and families, or were victims of rape or incest.

The KBF strives to find a good foster family for the newborns and works to reunite them with their birth mothers when the mothers are financially and emotionally stable. The mothers also have the option to put their child up for adoption.

The women share an obvious camaraderie, speaking of the life they want for their children. They would have to leave the home a month after giving birth, but for now, they maximize their stay by joining livelihood projects provided by KBF supporters.

Leona Vidanes, Nazareth Home’s house parent, said the women are trained to make tissue holders and bags from phone directories (they get Php20-50 commission for each item sold). They also make dishwashing soaps (commission: Php5/bottle) and bead accessories.

Volunteers come on weekdays to teach everything from family planning to proper hygiene. Every Thursday, a child birth educator visits to help prepare the women, especially the young girls, for pregnancy and childbirth. Others simply come for some girl bonding, praying, karaoke or games.

Nazareth Home has an on-call midwife and medicines for the pregnant women. The KBF also take care of the discharge bill from the Quirino Memorial Medical Center in Quezon City. For natural births, the home has a birthing room.

Recognizing poverty as a major cause of disruptive family environments, the KBF also runs day care services and skills training programs in poor barangays. It has been humming like an efficient machine for 35 years now.

“More than anything, we want children to grow up in a safe and healthy environment, and that includes the community,” said KBF executive director Rosario Dela Rosa. “What can we expect of children who grow up in communities where they are surrounded by domestic violence? Sometimes, we have to teach the parents too.”"

*Not her real name

Article Link: http://eastgatepublishing.com/2011/05/a-manger-in-the-metro/

Foster Children Check-up

September 2, 2010:

Foster Children from Sta Mesa and Antipolo Cluster have their regular medical check-up at Medical City.

Ang A.N.A.K. (KBF Newsletter) January to June 2008

Ang A.N.A.K.
(The Child)

Arugain Natin Ang Kabataan
(Let Us Take Care of the Children)
KBF NEWSLETTER, VOLUME 10, ISSUE 1

JUSTICE LEONOR INES LUCIANO

Lifetime Achievement Awardee

The Kaisahang Buhay Foundation, Inc. (KBF) is indeed proud to announce that Justice Leonor Ines Luciano, Vice-Chairperson, KBF Board of Trustees, received the Lifetime Achievement Award during the finale of the Grand Centennial Alumni and Faculty Homecoming and Reunion of the University of the Philippines Alumni Association, held on June 21, 2008 at the Araneta Coliseum. Co-awardees under the said category are Dr. Belinda A. Aquino and Dr. Natividad Crame Rogers.

Forty-seven 47) distinguished alumni were given awards under nineteen (19) categories. The awardees were selected for having distinguished themselves in their respective fields, have served the Philippines through outstanding projects, and/or have brought honor to the University through their exemplary work.

Justice Luciano is a co-foundress of KBF and has been a member of the Board of Trustees as Vice-Chairperson to the present. She has received many awards among which is the prestigious Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta Award of 2001. This award is given to those who have served the “poorest of the poor” for at least 25 years of their lives.

Having Justice Luciano as a role model of service in the truest sense of the word, is, to us in KBF, an honor and a privilege!!!




FIVE YEARS LATER....



Five years ago, KBF's Independent Living and Educational Assistance (ILEA) scholars were featured in the April September , 2003 issue of A.N.A K. entitled KBF SCHOLARS Putting Their Best Foot Forward. Last July 6, 2008, these scholars had a reunion together with the wives and children of those already married.

It is very gratifying to see these scholars who are no longer with ILEA are now gainfully employed, some with families of their own, truly living independently. Of these scholars featured in the above-mentioned issue, Michael “Mike” Magaoay is not in the reunion picture for the reason that he was already on board ship and undergoing training for officer position. Mike finished his Marine Engineering Course and passed the Marine Engineer's Board.

Catherine Cornelio finished her Accountancy Course at the National College for Business and Arts (NCBA) and plans to take the Accountancy Board in 2009. She is presently gainfully employed as Account Associate 2 at the Peoples Credit and Finance Network (PCNF) located at Makati City. Now 25 years old, she is still waiting for the right time to marry.

Loui Liberato finished his 2-year Hotel and Restaurant Management course at the Institute of Creative Computer Technology. He is now married to Sandy Casino-Liberato with whom he has two handsome sons, Nataniel Kirby and John Ken, 4 and 2 years old, respectively. He is presently working as Church Administrator at Valle Verde V. The couple plan to have a church wedding this August, 2008.

Dennis Sulita finished his BS Social Work at the Centro Escolar University (CEU) and plans to take the next social workers board examination. He is presently working as a call center agent in Makati City.

Dennis Tayag finished his 2-year Hotel and Restaurant Management course at the Institute of Creative Computer Technology. He now has a wife, Nina Crystal Alolod and a son, Andrei Joshua, 3 years old. They live in Marikina City. Dennis is working as a permanent driver of the Worlds of Fun (WOF) and drives all over the Philippines to deliver supplies/tokens to all WOF branches.

Isabel Salinas finished her 2-year course in Garments Technology at Marikina Polytechnic College. She is a housewife and a mother of 2 children, Raisa Midel Mongoya and Charles Mongoya, 3 years and 2 years old, respectively. Her husband Ramil earns just enough for the family's basic needs.

Cheriz Dabo finished her 2-year Computer Technology course at the Philippine Science and Technology Center. She is now gainfully employed as an office clerk at the Kaisahang Buhay Foundation Inc. (KBF). She is waiting for the right man to come along before she marries.
Rio Ong is working as a call center agent in Makati City. She only reached her third year in AB Psychology at the Central Colleges of the Philippines (CCP) but hopes to complete her studies.

Jennifer Gamutia finished her 2-year Nursing Assistant course at the Asian College for Science and Technology. She is helps in looking after the pregnant mothers at KBF's Naxareth Home for Single Mothers. She is looking for a more permanent employment.

Abegail David finished her 2-year Computer Secretarial course at AMA Computer College and is now working as a receptionist at Inciong and Associate Law Office. She is the mother of a lovely 1-year old daughter, Becky David.

Edna Barba finished her 2-year Food Technology course at the Marikina Polytechnic College. She is working in a bakery in Kuwait and is helping her siblings finish school.
William Bonto finished his 3-year Refrigeration and Air-conditioning course at the Marikina Polytechnic College. He also learned to drive and works as a part-time driver. He hopes to land a permanent job soon.

Archie Debalucos is working as a computer technician at Imagine Technology (ITEC) in Pasig City. He finished his 2-year vocational course at the Asian College for Science and Technology. He is happy with his lovelife but is still waiting for the right time to get married.
Jorge Billote finished a short term course in automotive at the Marikina Polytechnic College. He took up driving lessons but still needs further practice. He works as a part time janitor at KBF every Tuesday and at KBF's Home for Single Mothers every Saturday. During his free days he is a tricycle driver. His wife will be giving birth this August, 2008.

Leonard Araza finished a 2-year course in Drafting and another 2-year course in Food Technology but was not able to finish this. He worked as a salesman and is still looking for employment.

Ramonica Billones-Puno finished her nursing course at the Southeast Asian College. She hopes to take up the nursing Board examination soon. She is presently working as a call center agent at the Anonuevo Credit Collection at E. Rodriguez Ave., Quezon City. She is happily married to Richard Puno and has a son, Derek Francis.