Can you remember how you felt the last time you took a jeep then this little kid comes creeping in and wipes your shoes with his dirty rag in an attempt to solicit alms? Or when you were leaving church or the office and this small girl gives you her sampaguita presumably to get you to give her something like cash in return? I do. It never feels good. Not when I give them something, especially when I don't. I end up having a small argument with myself about what I should've done. I've always wished there was something better I can do... something that would have a more significant effect in their lives than merely giving something to sustain them for the day.
Last Thursday, I went to Sentro at Serendra for the launch of Virlanie Foundation's "8 to Educate" campaign. It's an awareness campaign in partnership with 8 restaurants situated in both Serendra and Bonifacio High Street that aims to promote and support education for street children. The campaign is quite simple, visit any of these 8 restos any time between now and December 31:
and order their featured dishes:
- Arama – Set Meal
I've personally visited this place, and wow was it cozy! They serve organic food and nothing about it taste yucky at all. I really enjoyed the burger.
- Cav – Valhrona Chocolate Souffle Cake
If you're a wine connoiseur, you'd definitely love this place. They have wine to go with almost anything, even this lovely dessert!
- Chelsea – Mac & Cheese Kiddie Meal
Who doesn't love Mac and Cheese?
- Cupcakes by Sonja -- or cupcakes for that matter? (check out photos here)
- Fu – Dimsum Platter
I love dimsum and I love their dimsum! They're steamed just right with topnotch ingredients.
- Healthy Kitchen – Monsignor James Salad
Looks healthy, tastes so good! I bet I'd be a whole lot thinner if I can have this for lunch everyday!
- Sentro 1771 – Fried Chicken Cutlets, Catfish Adobo Flakes
What else is there to say? Sentro's offering are always good, and these are no different.
- Xocolat – Organic Cacao drink & can
Cocoa! Need I say more?
and voila! A portion of what you paid for those dishes is donated towards Virlanie Foundation's effort to educate street children. Talk about feeling good after eating huh?
Of course if you want to help more, you can. Just ask any of the staff for a pledge form and they will gladly assist you. They say all it takes is P800/month to make sure that an elementary students gets uniform, shoes, school supplies, transportation, meals and even enough to cover those special projects. Sponsors may even bond with "their" child and will receive regular updates on their progress.
Never heard of Virlanie before? So have I, yet they've been helping street children in the Philippines for the last 17 years! They tell me that more than 80% of their support come from the international community. Don't you think it's a high time that we Filipinos start helping solve our own problem? Let's start doing our part now. (Click here to learn more or just visit their website here.)
Street Education with the Virlanie Mobile Unit
Of course if you want to help more, you can. Just ask any of the staff for a pledge form and they will gladly assist you. They say all it takes is P800/month to make sure that an elementary students gets uniform, shoes, school supplies, transportation, meals and even enough to cover those special projects. Sponsors may even bond with "their" child and will receive regular updates on their progress.
Never heard of Virlanie before? So have I, yet they've been helping street children in the Philippines for the last 17 years! They tell me that more than 80% of their support come from the international community. Don't you think it's a high time that we Filipinos start helping solve our own problem? Let's start doing our part now. (Click here to learn more or just visit their website here.)
