Ephesians Christian School Philippines - Project 082

Train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old he will not depart from it. Prov. 22:6

Dear Friends,

Public schools in the Philippines can have large classes of over 60 children managed by a single teacher working long hours.  Ephesians Christian Academy is a small private school giving a good elementary and primary education to children.  Most come from very poor families.  They now have 6 teachers for a total capacity of up to 64 children aged 6 to 10 years i.e. about 12 students to each class.  Linked to the Bible Baptist Church in Santa Mesa, Metro Manila they have their own chaplain and management board registered with the Philippine government.

Siloam have been assisting this school for a number of years.  Initially we sponsored a few students who have subsequently gone on to the secondary public school where they are achieving very good marks.  Without this help these children would not have had such a good start to their education.  They come from very poor, difficult backgrounds with crowded and unstable wooden houses where fire and flooding due to tropical storms are constant risks. 

I visit these places on a regular basis whenever I am in Manila, normally twice a year.  Most families have around 4 to 6 children but a few I have visited have as many as 16 children in one family!  In these situations the older children have responsibilities in caring for their younger siblings.  The school offers counselling and advice to such families.

Rather than sponsoring individual children in these cases Siloam find it preferable to assist the school as a whole on a regular basis.  This enables Mrs Lilian Viray, the school Administrator and her staff, to assess and allocate the funds to where they are needed most. 

Don Foster

Standing Order Form

Gift Aid Form

082a

This is where we live. The area here is often flooded. Fires are also common.

082b

A Philippine family can have more than 10 children.  They often live in one room.

082c

Older children look after the younger ones. Education is seen as the way out of poverty. Can you help us please?

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