[NEWS] Children of the Drug War

‘Children of the Drug War’ is a unique collection of original essays that investigates the impacts of the war on drugs on children, young people and their families.

(more…)


[REPORT] The Evolution of Education

By Marcus Swanepoel

Marcus and his wife, Amina Evangelista Swanepoel, are in the
early stages of founding a new reproductive health NGO in the rural
Philippines, Roots of Health. This is one in an occasional series of blogs
about their experiences.

“Who can tell me the answer….
Marcus?” I hear the voice of my second grade teacher calling on me to answer a
question to which I have no answer. The feeling of humiliation that I’d feel
still haunts me today. In class I would always sink into my seat when my
teacher uttered those dreaded words. At that point of my life, school was
stressful for me, and I didn’t like going. My negative experiences regarding
school however, pale in comparison to those of the children at Pulang Lupa [in
the Philippines].

(more…)


[REPORT] “I Don’t Have the Money to Pay for a Hospital, So I Give Birth at Home.”

Amipix0110.jpg

by Ami Evangelista Swanepoel

Earlier this week we returned to an area in Santa Lourdes called Purok Matahimik, which means “quiet place”. It is also known as “Pulang Lupa” or red earth because of the color of the soil, or simply known as “Dumpsite” because of the community’s proximity to the Puerto Princesa landfill. This community is a top runner for where we might begin our services as it is quite isolated and very poor, with high numbers of malnourished children.

(more…)