Another program operated by Rise Above Foundation is a food program. Take, for example, the thousand students at Maghaway Elementary School. Forty percent of the students at the school were malnourished because the students come from a very poor area where many parents are unemployed.

Through sponsorship, these children received a nutritious lugaw meal once a week for 3 consecutive years. Lugaw is a Filipino dish cooked in large pots over open fires, made with chicken, rice and vegetables cooked into a stew.

School children were otherwise absent from school because they had no food, and some were attending only half the day, being too weak to concentrate. The pupils receiving a nutritious meal once a week, and also dental treatment once a year, made a huge difference for this school.  Before the program started, the school rated low achievement-wise, #21 out of 24 schools in the city. Largely due to the programs mentioned, the school progressed to the top position of all city schools! Being fed well, even just once a week, and receiving dental treatment so none would suffer from toothaches made a huge difference to the students and consequently made the school successful.

1,000 students can be fed for the low cost of US $200, partnering with local companies and individuals helping to sponsor this program. Can you help with financial sponsorship?

Rise Above Foundation also distributes food weekly to poor families living in the slums of the Guadalupe area in Cebu. Restaurants take part in this event, providing the families with nutritious and wholesome food. Through sponsorship, RAF also buys needed food items that we distribute to indigent families in several slum areas in Cebu City.

Rise Above Foundation is now building a Center for Women and Children from which many of their programs will be based, including a daycare center, a medical and dental clinic and a computer-based education for “out of school youth”.

Marie Tangalin with volunteers serving the students their lunch.	Kids and teachers enthusiastically help with the clean-up.

Elementary school children enjoy a nutritious lunch.	Sweet Filipino girls, with full tummies and contented smiles.

Additionally, Rise Above Foundation helps supply basic needs such as school supplies, backpacks and so forth to enhance schooling for the children of these impoverished families.

Gabe and Marie about to deliver school materials to needy rural families.	Abi (right) providing raincoats to  students, to help prevent pneumonia.

All the children at Kalunasan elementary school receive school supplies.	Children and mothers pose with newly-acquired school needs.