Category: ICM Bases

Over the weekend of March 30-April 3, ICM Jumpstart graduations were held across seven ICM bases. Dressed in caps and gowns, 2, 275 children marched across the stage, shook their teacher’s hand and received their diplomas. It was a happy and memorable way to close the children’s chapter of Kindergarten studies and move ahead to the...

The theme of 2017’s World Health Day was Depression. Depression is the leading cause of ill health and disability worldwide. According to the latest estimates from WHO, more than 300 million people are now living with depression, an increase of more than 18% between 2005 and 2015. Evidence indicates that depression is 1.5 to two...

“I never thought the program would be this fun,” said Jeramie of ICM’s Transform program. Jeramie had many reasons why she was too busy to attend Transform: she was working in the fields with her husband and helping earn money for the family, she was pregnant with her third child and taking care of her nephew whose...

World Water Day is held annually on 22 March as a means of focusing attention on the importance of clean water. Amongst the people ICM works with in the Philippines, there is a lack of easy access to clean water and proper sanitation. As a result, unpurified water (over 50% of families in ICM areas don’t...

‘Crooked Arm’ was the name Kim-kim’s classmates called him in the schoolyard.  It was an unsurprising nickname – the six-year old’s dislocated elbow hung at an obvious and uncomfortable angle. The bullying didn’t stop with name calling; unable to defend himself, Kim-kim was pushed around and roughed up in the schoolyard as well.  It got...

The world celebrates International Women’s Day on Wednesday, March 8. Empowering women to address social, economic and political challenges remains a goal of the United Nations. Alongside a full respect for human rights, women need to be seen as equal partners with men in achieving sustainable development, peace, and security. Approximately 97% of ICM’s Transform participants are...

“I realized you have changed, so I should change too.” When Rexmar spoke these words to his wife Diana, she realised the lessons she had learned had affected more than her mind and heart. Diana’s personal motivation earned her a spot in ICM’s Transform program. When she overheard a pastor inviting a neighbor to attend the...

Life is tough for Maricel. Her family lives in ultra poverty. Maricel and her husband are rice field laborers and earn a combined monthly income of US$22.22/PHP1,000, well under what is needed to provide for their family of four. Maricel didn’t graduate from elementary school – her parents had been unable to pay for her...

Yesterday, Shore Student Alex shared his thoughts on the school’s recent ‘Make A Difference’ trip to ICM’s Bacolod base. Today, fellow student Ben examines what the trip meant to him. Our thanks to both Alex and Ben for their insights and hard work. I distinctly recall the thoughts racing through my head as I boarded...

Shore School students Ben and Alex and joined their school’s November 23 –Dec 1, 2016 ‘Making A Difference’ trip to ICM’s base in Bacolod, Philippines.  This first blog contains Alex’s recollections of his first encounter with poverty, tomorrow’s blog will feature Ben’s reflections. My trip with ICM was one that I will never forget. Before...