By Paul van Wijgerden | Managing Director
Dear Friends,
The Philippines regularly makes international headlines because of a disaster, whether it be a major fire, a typhoon, earthquake, or even an erupting volcano. The many Filipinos who are struggling with the ‘daily disaster’ of extreme poverty are also the ones most often most vulnerable to these disaster-events, usually because of, for example, where they live, and/or the kind of houses they live in.
Mercifully, despite the heavy rains and strong winds of the most recent super-typhoon to come close to Manila, for the families of our students, there was neither loss of life, injuries, nor even serious damage to their homes – although there was quite a bit of flooding.
Coping with uncertainties, when disaster can hit at any time, this can be a huge challenge facing many young people born in poor communities. At Young Focus we’re discovering that a very effective way of supporting them is offering opportunities to discover art and to develop their creative talents. Recently we had an event where students shared how journaling, reading, public speaking, and photography had become their outlets for growth and healing. They talked about the importance of expressing rather than suppressing emotions, and shared their own poetry and essays. One student said: “[This celebration is] about recognizing how powerful passion and dreams really are. For me, they’re not abstract ideas but essential parts of who we are. They remind us what excites us, fuels our creativity, and keeps us going even when life feels uncertain.”
Thank you again for giving, for your help, as together we offer support to these young people in whatever way we can.
On behalf of the Young Focus team,
Paul van Wijgerden
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By Paul van Wijgerden | Managing Director
By Paul van Wijgerden | Managing Director
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