BY GREENHILLS TEAM LEADER FLORENCE O. TEMPORAL
LAST YEAR'S DAMASCUS SCHOLARS
The Filipino child is very close to the heart of Pusong Pinoy. As an organization, Pusong Pinoy’s mission is to provide assistance to various public schools and organizations with effective programs designed to advance the well-being of disadvantaged children in the areas of education, health care, and social services. Our primary focus is to promote literacy through reading.
The organization is currently supporting several local groups, one of which is the DAMASCUS FOUNDATION by way of a scholarship and feeding program. Damascus founder, Robert Tiangco, relates the story of how the scholarship program evolved. Damascus began as a drug rehabilitation and reformation center based in Bulacan. Some six years ago, they decided to embrace a bigger role in the community by helping the poor children in the area. It all started with a desire to give proper nutrition to the children who would drop by the center daily to barter pieces of fruit or vegetable for food, often for rice.
Robert surmised that since the children have made the effort to travel a long way to the center, they might as well feed them to help stave off their hunger. Thus, the feeding program was born. After a while, Robert decided that since the children already visit on a regular basis, they might as well put up a learning center for them. Robert says that this is Damascus’ way of giving the children of their community a fighting chance at surviving poverty and have a glimpse of a better future. In these children, Damascus sees only pure potential. They could be our future leaders and future heroes who will make it their mission to give back what they have learned and received from Damascus. But as much as they want to help as many children as they can, it is financially difficult for Damascus to do so.
Enter the worldwide heroes of Pusong Pinoy. Through the help of its donors and supporters, Pusong Pinoy was able to help 14 Damascus scholars last year. And this year, all 15 of these awesome children will be given the gift of education. Robert says he is so amazed by the swift reply of so many people in the fundraising for the scholarship program. In his words he says, “we feel God’s loving hands touching us through the wonderful people of Pusong Pinoy. You give us strength and resolve to continue this mission that God has given us.”
Perhaps to the hero who donated a few dollars or a few pesos, it is just a kind act done from the heart. But to these scholars, that kind deed has opened so many doorways to promising opportunities. Thank you HEROES for making the Damascus story a success story!
Click
HERE to read more about this project.
Click
HERE to read about our 2011 Damascus Scholarship Project.
