Osman Elementary School Aklan Philippines

I first visited Osman Elementary School ( OES ) while on a church trip. The purpose of the campaign is to bring desperately needed improvements to these children and their families in this remote area. The primary goal is to establish a clean water source. A nearby river is the supply for drinking water. It also serves as a laundromat,bathtub and quite possibly a bathroom. The second goal is to create kitchen facilities to prepare healthy food for the school and surrounding area. As the pictures show, they cook in an open area using wood for fire on the open ground. It serves its purpose but meals are limited in scope and no fresh water ( hot ) for sanitary cleanup. Another endeavor would be for classroom improvements. Some classrooms have dirt floors which during rainy season turns to mud. The walls of the dirt floor classrooms are bamboo poles tied together leaving gaps and exposing them to the elements. There is no basic medical facility to issue an aspirin or give a basic health checkup.

I stood in front of each class and spoke with teachers and students. Despite the obvious hardships the teachers were loving and caring and the lessons were well prepared and in English. The children were thoughtful and well mannered and obviously the product of loving parents. I would ask each class, before I left them, if they had any questions for me. The main question was where I was from. I took the chalk and went to the board and drew a basic picture of the USA. With further detail I showed the approximate location of North Carolina. They all said out loud " MICHAEL JORDAN ". While Manny Pacqiao is their hero they have a deep love of Basketball. They have a court in great disrepair with no nets or balls. Their is no organized athletics to nurture their competitive spirit. For that matter, they all love music and there is no instruments for them to play with.

I can go on all day describing what they need. All I can say is that for a group with so little, they are well adjusted and with high spirits. They have a deep religious upbringing and I am certain that the gifts we bestow upon them will be paid forward to future generations.

In closing, I will say that supposedly they are to be government funded. Obviously the needed funds are not making it to them. With your generosity, I will make sure that the collected monies are used to create an environment where these beautiful children can thrive. I am a US citizen working in Hong Kong. I am a 3 hour flight from them and I visit often. I will personally supervise this transformation and document its success. This group moved me in ways I cannot describe. We can't fix the world in a day but we should at least try.

Thank You All

Angelo Zollo