One Filipino Winnipegger is hoping to send 500 kids to school for a year. Glenda Ollero, a 26-year-old student has started the Bata Project, a charity initiative that is hoping to get the support of Filipinos in Winnipeg to raise funds for the education of poor and at-risk kids in the Philippines.
“Filipinos in Winnipeg and all over the world know the importance of education,” said Ollero. “Education is a permanent solution to poverty. If someone is educated, they can help themselves and lift themselves out of poverty.”
The Bata Project is working with Synergeia, a Philippine-based non-profit organization that advocates sustainable education in the poor rural and urban areas in the Philippines.
“We are reaching out to our kababayans in Canada to help us battle poverty,” said Dr. Milwida Guevara, President of Synergeia. “Synergeia’s dream is to have all the children in the schools that we support to complete at least Grade Six. It’s a small dream, but we need all the help we can get.”
To raise money, Ollero has been selling handmade pins designed by Filipino artisans. They make the pins in the Philippines, send it to Ollero, and she sells them here. One pin represents one Filipino child going to school for a year.
So far, the Bata Project has reached half of their goal. Ollero is hoping to raise money for the other 250 kids through a fund raising event, The Stars and Stones Auction, where memorabilia signed and dedicated by A-list Filipino celebrities like Sharon Cuneta, Gary Valenciano, Pilita Corales, Marvin Agustin, Jericho Rosales, Heart Evangelista, Donita Rose, Dennis Trillo, Iza Calzado, TJ Trinidad, Sen. Kiko Pangilinan, Sen. Dick Gordon, and the entire cast of GMA’s teleserye “Dwarfina.”
“I just got a call this morning saying that eight-division world champion and number one pound-for-pound best boxer in the world, Manny Pacquiao, will be taking part of the auction as well,” said Ollero.
Responses from Vilma Santos and Piolo Pascual are expected to be confirmed soon.
“We want to bring help from Filipinos in Winnipeg to Filipinos back home but at the same time we want to bring a piece of home to Filipinos here,” said Ollero.
The event will be taking place on February 19 at the Philippine-Canadian Centre of Manitoba at 737 Keewatin Street. Tickets are $5, doors open at noon. Food will be available for purchase.
For more information about the Bata Project, visit http://bataproject.com. Follow them at Twitter @BataProject and find them on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/bataproject.
