Here’s a Big High FIVE to Transforming Lives

One of the games was a Bible quiz bee.

In March 2023, Sapangdaku Hope Center in Cebu, Philippines, celebrated their fifth anniversary with the OneChild program with festivities including a marching band and a parade with participants wearing their blue uniforms and colorful head ties.

Participants in the celebration hung colorful flags, and parents prepared a food bazar they called “OneChild Mercado” where kids could claim a variety of snacks using stubs that they collected from activities they participated in that day.

Activities for the kids included fun games, a Bible quiz bee, reciting Bible verses from memory, and showcasing their singing and dancing talents.

The Hope Center staff’s theme for this anniversary was “High FIVE,” which stands for the following:

• F is for forging relationships.
• I is for intentional discipleship.
• V is for volunteerism.
• E is for elevating lives.

“We are embracing this [theme] for our whole year’s plan of activities,” says Child Champion Lloyd. “Like F for forging relationships, we are connecting stakeholders and groups available in the community that can be volunteers or manpower resources.”

Like all the other programs and activities at the Hope Center, High FIVE is an integrated program that Child Champions believe will foster the hopes and dreams of the children, their families, and the entire community.

The kids get serious playing tug-of-war.

Hope Center Director Lorna Eguia says that initially the community was skeptical of the Hope Center’s presence.

“It took us some time for us to be friends with them [the parents],” she says. “Now, they have trust and confidence that we are good people.”

She says this is an important transformation that will open doors in the community to bring hope into their children’s lives.

A marching band led the way to the festivities.

Today, Sapangdaku Hope Center has 99 children registered in the OneChild program.

The kids participate in many activities there such as learning how to read the Bible (both in person and via Zoom). The kids share what they learn with their families and others in the community.

Kids enjoy the many treats for them.

The center also offers Family Engagement sessions where parents and caregivers can open up and share their feelings and ideas with one another.

Kids also get help with reading and schoolwork, and they receive medical checkups as well as nutritious food to make sure they are reaching their developmental milestones.

So a big “High FIVE” to the kids, families, and Child Champions of Sapangdaku Hope Center for five years of bringing hope to the community. We can’t wait to see all that lies ahead for you!

Donate to the OneChild Partners Fund to help us bring hope to more kids in hard places.