Information about Dawn for the Poor

In the capital city of Manila, nearly half of the population lives in poverty, many living in shacks along creeks and waterways, along railways, and on abandoned or neglected government land that they cannot hope to own. Bukang Liwayway (Dawn for the Poor) plants house churches in five such areas of Manila: Welfareville, Balic-Balic, Malabon, Pandacan and Cogeo and also in Calapan City, Mindoro. The members of these house churches are involved in service to their neighbours in community development programs.

Child Development Centres provide a healthy environment for the care and nourishing of preschool children, giving parents an opportunity to seek and hold employment.

Youth Educational Assistance provides educational, emotional, social, and medical assistance for youth most at risk. The program supports more than 250 youth attending school, from elementary through high school. Poor families often lack the means to pay school registration and to purchase school uniforms, shoes, and supplies. So the program pays these costs to ensure the children become well established in classes.

In addition, since the parents often lack the ability to provide their children with proper food, the program provides regular support to meet this need. Without that support, many children would stay at home to conserve energy or go out on the streets to work and help provide for the family. On weekends, the youth attend Bible studies to help with their spiritual growth.

In urban poor areas, it is particularly important that members of the community become aware of the necessity of a properly balanced diet and a way to promote adequate health. Dawn for the Poor provides inexpensive medication for the community while sponsoring seminars and workshops on good food, sanitation, and healthcare.

In addition, wells have been drilled and water purifiers installed so that clean potable water is available to the slum residents at a very low price. Proceeds from the sale of purified water paid for the cost of the drilling and purifiers and now contributes to the Youth Educational Assistance program.

Dawn for the Poor also provides an opportunity for those in the youth program and some mothers to participate in small cottage industry endeavors as a means of improving their economic status. Livelihood seminars are given to those who are interested in joining the program. Greeting cards and bookmarks are made for marketing in the Philippines or for export to a number of other countries.

A more recent income-generating project is the production and sale of dishwashing liquid and fabric softener. Currently more than 70 people are engaged in these activities.