VIRLANIE : Giving back the smile to street children

Please support VIRLANIE and Virlanie programs !

This is the motto of Virlanie!

And now, my 3 best emotional-Virlanie-stories!

•  Mother visiting her children

Every day, I share my lunch in MPCC (Marco Polo Care Center). After 4 and half hours alone with my computer … chatting with kids and house parents is important: GREAT MOMENT!
This house is full of 20 children from 3 to 6, evenly divided 10 girls and 10 boys.
Most of them are from the RAC where the street-children stay once they are taken by the authorities, wandering in the street after 22 PM.
Sometimes (when it seems there are too many children) the direction of this center transfers some children to Virlanie (as I already said, we have daily activity in this place).

A few days ago, I came here, as I do every day for my lunch break. I sat by the table, but this particular day, facing me, on the other side of the table, a mother was sitting with her 2 children: her daughter on her lap, held tenderly in her arms, and her son also standing comfortably close to her.
This mother was visiting her children …
To reunify her family, I think the rule is: the parents must prove they have a house and regular income. It seems this is not so and that’s why their children are with us.
This “Mwah Mwah Tsup Tsup 1” (Hugs & Kiss) cuddles' session with the mother and her children was really too much! .. Too emotional! During my lunch time, they stayed like that - quiet.. Only whispering to each other … it was quite magic!

• Visiting Maryleen and Mary-Cristy, 2 sponsored children.

David, my friend, and I were with Helen. She’s in charge of the family programme: back to the province. Helen was on leave for the yearly visit to her sponsored children in Bicol Province.
How is the last university-year doing? They will be graduate at the end of this coming year.
She wants to pick up the Virlanie-cards for her sponsors.
5 years ago, their parents were in the slum of Payatas – and they chose to come back to their village:
For everyone: parents, children, Virlanie, this is a challenge:
- The parents realize their life in the slum will not improve … how do they got enough income for :

• Living in their village,which is isolated in the middle of this small BURIAS Island?
• Repay the loan for their land and house?

- The children never lived in a village, and may be they don’t speak Bicol,
- Virlanie run this program :

• Buy the land for the house,
• Build the house 4x5=20m2
• Help the family to move,
• Provide live hood assistance to the family,
• Sponsor one child per family

We went by motorcycle to the village in the middle of the Island; we were truly welcomed in their house.
The sponsored daughters are young adults now. They no longer live in the village on the island (except for vacations). They are students at University of Pili in Camarines Sur which is still in Bicol province:

Central Bicol State University of Agriculture (CBSUA)

Today, after 8 hours commute (from their parent's home to the University) , we’ll visit them in their students’hall.
They will welcome us with a delicious lunch!

Too emotional: these lovely student-girls. They are just like the other student girls… smiling!
I realize: their dreams have come true. Without Virlanie, without the sponsorship program, these young adults never would have led a happy student life like any other young adult!

1 - hugs and kiss

• The graduation ceremony at " weaning house"

Today, I am in Makati, at the Virlanie-weaning-home, not far from the office.
3 young adults have graduated! These students completed their internship (training course) and got a job.
Conclusion (because it is a real conclusion), the program of support by Virlanie will finish.
So the Social worker in charge of the program organized this ceremony (and a party) in their students’ hall called Weaning Home (translated in French as the house of the flight.)
In France, we do not have such big graduation ceremonies like those in countries with an English tradition where these celebrations are full of feelings: of enjoyments, roars of laughter, applause, but also, because of the high emotion, there are some tears.
I know, in France, some would like to organize a ceremony to mark of the end of studies. I do not know why this does not exist. However, once a year, in the prestigious School of ENS – in ULM street - Paris, in the square courtyard called “cour des ernests”, the person in charge of Studies announces, using a microphone, one by one in order of merit the names of students who have passed the really difficult entrance examination,
It is obviously very moving! I think, some children ask their parents not to come because as they do not know their results, and therefore they can't predict their reaction … In countries with an English tradition and also here in the Philippines, the graduation ceremony is still very popular.
On this Day, the students wear academic dress (a gown (robe) with a hood: square academic cap). They are grouped in the main school courtyard. The officials stand proudly on a stage – and then many speeches will be delivered. …
The relatives, the alumni, the sponsors, a little bit set back, attend the ceremony.
In the weaning home, this celebration takes place (the programme is shown to us):

• A prayer opens the ceremony. One of the young female adults leads it,
• Several persons from Virlanie will make a speech: the vice-president of Virlanie, the social worker of the program etc. …
• And then, one of the companions starts a speech: she is so emotional that the words remain blocked (unspoken) in her mouth. It seems to me that it is difficult to leave her like that .... not speaking in front of us .... but nobody breaks the silence .... So this poor friend, after 3 or 4 starts, tries again. But very quickly she is tongue tied once more ... the words refuse to come out …
• Finally, each of the 3 graduating students makes a speech of approximately 15 minutes.
• One of them is so moved that he cries, but bravely continues to speak at the same time.
• These speeches are followed by a prayer.
• Then we are kindly offered a snack.. Let the party start!

Obviously, and that's why we are here with them, it's very emotional, but everybody cheers. Without Virlanie, as these children know perfectly, they would not have been able to reach this level of education. The diploma, the company internship, the work they've got, all that is the fulfillment of the dreams that Dominique had when setting up this foundation. It is the objective shared by all the employees and volunteers of Virlanie!
Bravo! Let’s celebrate Virlanie's 22nd birthday. These 3 children who are almost 22 years old, aren’t they the children of Virlanie? Happy birthday to us!