Tag: Jumpstart Kindergarten

A Gift from Afar

Over 7,000 Christmas presents are headed to children in ICM programs, thanks to Hong Kong charity Box of Hope. Box of Hope is an annual charity project aimed at providing useful/educational gifts to underprivileged children in Hong Kong & Asia donated by Hong Kong school children and local organisations. Founded by Nicole Woolhouse and Harriet...

A Chance to Grow – Universal Children’s Day

Depending on your country of birth, your life chances and future outcomes are significantly affected. Universal Children’s Day, celebrated on November 20, 2016, is dedicated to promoting international togetherness and awareness among children worldwide and is coordinated by UNICEF, the United Nations Children’s Fund. Every child has a right to life, health, education and play...

Spread the Word

While most of us take the gift of literacy for granted, it is shocking to learn that illiteracy affects nearly 17% of adults worldwide – the vast majority of them women, according to UNESCO. September 8, 2016, marks the 50th anniversary of International Literacy Day and aims to actively promote literacy as an instrument to...

Free To Dream

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...

Education and dreams

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...

Happy International Women’s Day!

In celebration of International Women’s Day on March 8, ICM proudly shares the stories of three women who participated in one of ICM’s programs and are able to contribute to their families’ social and economic achievement in the Philippines. Transform When asked to join ICM’s 16 week Transform program, Maria wasn’t sure how it could...

‘Coins for a Cause’

Last December, long-time ICM supporters Kellett School held a ‘Coins for a Cause’ drive that will help dozens of children in the Philippines get a head-start on education. As part of a series of fundraisers to help pay for Kellett’s ICM Jumpstart program, which they have sponsored for the past eight years, students at both...

Stars of the Future

Six graduates of Ajong Sibulan Kindergarten returned to their alma mater this month to talk about their dreams and explain to their younger peers what they enjoy most about “big school”.  All six of the children are honor students, and they are studying hard to reach their young goals. Nine-year old Mary Grace Seraspe attends...

One Trip – Three Perspectives

The weekend of May 13-16, several visitors attended an ICM 101 trip in Dipolog to learn more about ICM’s poverty reduction model. Attendees fell into different age, gender, cultural and geographic segments. Here are two written reflections and one photographic impression of the weekend.   Ryan’s recollections For most of my time on this earth...

Santino’s Story

By Kim Thomson, ICM Volunteer All his life, five year old Santino Elisalde has watched his fisherman father at work each day.  Santino lives with his parents and six siblings in a two room shack which hovers above the sea water at high tide. During low tide, the home is surrounded by residual rubbish and...