General Info
LCW is an international and interdominational Christian agency dedicated to helping develop caring communities for children at risk.
Established in 1987, it seeks to address the plight of street children and those who are victims of extreme poverty in developing countries.
Volunteer - why should I get involved?
A disturbing reality
* There are an estimated 150 million street children worldwide. 1.5 million are in the Phillipines.
* 35,000 children worldwide die of starvation, malnutrition, or related diseases every day.
* An estimated 2.2 million Filipino preschoolers suffer from malnutrition.
* Every day 300 Filipino children die of preventable or curable diseases like pneumonia, diarrhea, and measles.
The LCW programs allow you to invest a portion of your life in helping to rescue children from the dire effects of poverty, neglect or abuse.
LCP Current Situation
The following is a description of the Current Situation of LCP (October 2003):
Thirteen years after its founding, as of April 2003, Little Children of the Philippines, Inc. (LCP) now serves a constituency of more than 3,000 low-income Filipinos, children, youth and parents, in 14 depressed communities/barangays of the province of Negros Oriental. Based upon information obtained from the sponsorship office, the average annual family income of LCP families with a sponsored child is approximately $600. During the past five years the number of barangays served has increased from eight to 14, and the number of sponsored preschools from three to eight. The enrollment in Sunday school has increased from approximately 300 to nearly 2000. Close to 300 children, ranging from age five to 20, who are victims of poverty and vulnerable to abuse are sponsored by friends of Little Children of the World.
Twenty-four of these sponsored children graduated from elementary school this year, some with honors, and 12 graduated from high school. More than 90 youth are now enrolled in college, thanks to LCW sponsorships and scholarships. LCP places every sponsored child in school, provides tutoring for those who get behind, gives nutritional supplements to those who are underweight, teaches them special skills and Christian values, and assists their parents with decent housing.
The all-Filipino staff at LCP has expanded to 11 full-time and 36 part-time workers plus 18 Youth Enpowerment students on work-study scholarships. This includes eight preschool teachers with one coordinator, eleven School on Wheels teachers with one coordinator and one bus driver, as well as 14 paramedics with one coordinator and two part-time nurses.
LCP has grown also in the number of international volunteers who add considerably to the work force, having increased from only three in 1991 to 30 or 40 each year. They come from various nations including the USA, Philippines, Canada, England, Ireland, Sweden, Italy, Germany, Japan, South Korea, Australia, and New Zealand. They use their training and experience to enhance the existing programs and sometimes even to initiate new ones like the Lice Treatment Project and the Soup Kitchen. A number of Filipino professionals, especially physicians, provide service to LCP member families and LCP volunteers for no cost or at greatly reduced prices. The local Red Cross has also been helpful in training LCP?s community paramedics.
The first unit of a multipurpose building complex was dedicated in January 2003. The second and third buildings were dedicated in November 2003. All of this is made possible through our partnership with the Consuelo Foundation which is covering the cost of the design and construction of the new buildings.
A new, affiliate LCP project was recently launched on the island of Leyte, thanks to the initiative of Marciana Hope. An LCW-related center was established in Vancouver, WA to oversee the project in Ingan, Leyte and to raise funds for its support.
New developments have also taken place at the Tennessee LCW center in Etowah. There is now an ongoing Camp Etowah project which includes an After-school Program for preteens and a Retreat and Training Center for all ages. The newest program in Etowah is the Single Parent Ministry which, as it develops, will work hand-in-hand with the After-school program.
