Arlene has all the energy and enthusiasm that a kindergarten teacher requires. The 34-year-old is a high achieving English graduate and has been teaching for 12 years. For the past three years, Arlene has taught at ICM’s Malayang Mangarap (Free to Dream) Jumpstart kindergarten, sponsored by ESF South Island School in Hong Kong. Arlene has...
Monday, July 11th, 2016 at 12:00 pm
Arlene worked at a vending stand and made US$3.33 a week. Her seasonal job, harvesting vegetables, occasionally brought in another US$6.50 a week. If employed, Arlene’s husband Arnel could earn up to US$8.30 a week, however his carpentry jobs were erratic. The parents of three teenagers were working hard, but money was always tight when...
Saturday, July 9th, 2016 at 11:43 am
Angel found herself alone in the world after her mother died in childbirth and her father felt unable to support her. It wasn’t just the thought of caring for an infant that overwhelmed Angel’s birth father, it was the fact that Angel was born with a blocked (imperforate) opening to her anus that would require...
Wednesday, June 15th, 2016 at 9:02 am
A mother of a Jumpstart kindergarten student was admitted to a hospital due to complications in her pregnancy. Hinie Jean had severe oligohydramnios (deficiency of amniotic fluid) which was endangering the development of her baby. Although Hinie Jean was in dire need of treatment, she was referred to another hospital in General Santos City because...
Monday, May 23rd, 2016 at 1:15 pm
Anyone who attended the 2015 ICM Banquet will remember the remarkable story of Susan Entong. In 2002, Susan was just 11 years old when her drunken father threw a kerosene lamp at her, extensively burning her face and body. For three years, she suffered from festering wounds because the medical treatment she required was not available...
Monday, May 16th, 2016 at 9:03 am
Sunday, May 8 is Mother’s Day. ICM is proud to share the story of Michelle and Jeffty as a symbol of a mother’s sacrifice and love. Jeffty is a two-year-old boy born with cleft lip and palate. Due to his condition, Jeffty was not able to breast or bottle feed. To give him nourishment, his...
Sunday, May 8th, 2016 at 7:00 am
A few weeks ago, I was privileged to attend the graduation of seven of the 12 Dumaguete, Negros Oriental, Jumpstart Kindergartens operated by ICM and privately funded by donors. After 10 months of learning, over 180 children were celebrating their graduation, flanked by proud parents and teachers. They looked so smart and happy in their...
Monday, April 18th, 2016 at 3:05 pm
The focus of 2016’s World Health Day is diabetes, which affects around nine in every 100 adults worldwide. Diabetes can cause damage to the heart, blood vessels, eyes, kidneys and nerves. However, diabetes and its complications can often be prevented by a healthy diet, regular physical activity and the avoidance of tobacco. According to the World Health Organization,...
Thursday, April 7th, 2016 at 3:45 pm
Anyone along the winding dirt road can point you in the direction of Panfilo Amigo’s home. The journey is almost surreal, past throngs of palm trees and recently harvested rice terraces; his lush garden grows out of the side of the mountain. When Panfilo says his life has been “natural” and “simple,” he means it....
Monday, September 7th, 2015 at 12:19 pm
Two women share how ICM’s Savings Group changed their lives and finances. ELENA Elena, 65, lives in a wooden house on stilts by a mangrove field with her granddaughter Rhealyn, who suffers from an undiagnosed chronic health condition. At 14-years-old, Rhealyn cannot speak and can barely stand by herself. The area around their house is...
Wednesday, September 2nd, 2015 at 10:03 am