Quality life is a primary right of a child. The children's place is in school instead of the streets or elsewhere. With the children vending religious articles at the vicinity of the Basilica del Sto. Niño, much of their lives are taken away from them caused by the abject state of poverty.

The call of service to poor children rings. The answer is the Basilica del Sto. Niño Children's Welfare Foundation, Inc. Its official creation on the 7 th day of January 2004 with its registration at the Securities and Exchange Commission marks the seal of that answer.

The Foundation was formally launched on January 8, 2004, on the occasion of the first day of the novena of the feast of Señor Santo Niño at the BSN Augustinian Community Fathers Convent.

VISION

A community where children enjoy and experience peace, harmony and equal opportunity to a life accorded with dignity regardless of sex, race and religion.

MISSION

With the Church's preferential option for the poor the Foundation commits to assist in the Development f poor children in the different dimensions of life, help them appreciate its value, and teach them live a productive and happy Christian life in the family and community.

GOAL ( E-care )

•  To provide poor but deserving children with the opportunity to avail Education.

•  To create an office to facilitate Christian formation to the poor
families, to spouse advocacy of children's welfare and to initiate
and facilitate acquisition of Resource of livelihood.

• I. Education
  • A. Scholarship
    

    The foundation has 30 scholars for this year and all of them are children of the vendors in the Basilica who are members of their association and have good grades. Three are in college, 8 are in the elementary level and 19 is in high school.

    Their scholars are living in the different towns of Cebu and they are enrolled in the schools in their town. The elementary are enrolled in public schools, the high schools are in UV and the college are in ACT, ICC and USJR. Aside from the tree tuition fee, the scholars are provided by the foundation their books, school supplies, uniform and shoes. They are being monitored through their grades. They are to show their grades to Sister Joy, who is the one handling the foundation. They are also required to attend their monthly sessions where they get to see each other and do some activities. The in-charge of the foundation also do home visitations and follow-up on the parents and the family of the scholar.

  • B.Capability Building Training
    

    The main objective of this service is to inculcate values for their personality development to the children particularly to their scholars. This is done once a month when they all get together. The scholars are required to meet once a month for this training for monitoring and follow-up.

  • C. Special Academic Tutorial Session
    

    This is to assist the scholars who are having some difficulty with their lessons. Unfortunately, this is done once a month only because the scholars are living from different towns. Every time they meet. The older scholars will help the elementary scholars and their peers.

• II. Lamdag sa Pamilya Program
  • The goal of this program is to facilitate Christian formation of poor families.
  • A. Recollection
    

    This is done twice a year, during advent and lent. The participants are the scholars and their parents and other families as well.

  • B. Catechism
    

    In this service the following activities are being done;
    • Prayer service
    • Family Life-Enhancement Seminar
    • Responsible Parenthood
    • Special Catechism on the scholars

    Though it was not part of their service, the foundation had a mass wedding to the parents of the scholars for it is very important that the parents have the blessings of the church to seta good example to their children and to have a good Christian formation.

  • III. Advocacy
    

    This specific program are still in process of development. The foundation is still planning how to go about it.

  • IV. Livelihood Program
    

    This aims to extend help to the parents of the scholars and to the whole community of vendors also.

    A. Micro-finance
    They would lend money to vendors but the foundation is still planning this very well and they are planning to ask the help of the Cooperative of Barangay Sto. Nino.