Category: Health

CJ’s family cramps up in a worn-out house ravaged by Typhoon Odette in 2021. His father, Carmelo, faces immense challenges in providing for their family of six, as his income from fishing is not enough. With meager resources, CJ’s mother, Bernalyn, did her best to sustain her children’s health. But the lack of money prevented...

At 30 years old, Jill has already lost four children. Three of them died all at once in a river accident, while the other one died in her womb after being tangled and choked with the umbilical cord. In the midst of all the unfortunate circumstances, Jill found that learning to recover from her losses...

In the era of contact lenses and eye surgeries, eye problems may seem like a thing of the past, but for those living in ultra-poverty, vision issues can be an insurmountable challenge. Loreto, a 51-year-old farmer in Dipolog, is the primary breadwinner for his family. He works hard to not only provide for his family’s...

“Every day is not a harvest day. Where could I get financial help to meet our daily needs?” This is a question that Criselda asked when she looked at her family and the growing needs. The weight of her family fell upon her shoulders when her husband suddenly passed away from heatstroke during a harvest...

Bless understood what it meant to live in poverty from an early age. At the time of her birth, her parents didn’t even have a permanent home and were forced to move from place to place, staying with members of the church her father pastored. This is a common story. Many pastors who minister in...

Like many young men, 22-year-old Joey loves hanging out with his friends when not studying or working. But unlike his buddies, he couldn’t always work as much as he wanted. Since 2012, he suffered from a tumor under his ear that would swell and cause him throbbing pain any time he was too active or...

Dennis Kyle and Wen Heart come from very different parts of the Philippines but were brought together in Hong Kong to receive surgery for clubfoot. The boys have a lot in common, from their interest in soccer to their experiences with bullies. As a child, Dennis Kyle was called “bali paa” or “twisted foot” by...

Reniel started his life at a disadvantage. Abandoned by his father, Reniel is being raised by his mother Riza who earned income doing odd jobs. Amidst poverty and rejection, he was a healthy and happy baby, and Riza was excited to see her boy grow. However, when he turned  one, Reniel began to grow sickly...

Once you set foot in Negros Island, you often hear about the people’s staple food, Law-oy. If you ask a tricycle driver or a peddler in the streets about what most people from Negros eat, no doubt they would all shout “Law-oy!” in unison. Law-oy is a simple but sumptuous soup served in most homes...

Seven-year-old Jenny Mae born with Hirschsprung’s Disease, a condition that almost took her life when she was still a newborn. Her mother Jeanalyn rushed her to the hospital, and they found out that Jenny Mae needed a major operation. She was able to receive the initial operation, since her mother’s employment insurance and donations from...