HOPE Camp in Philippines Changes Teenage Lives

On August 22-24 of this year, 51 teen beneficiaries of the three HOPE centers in the Philippines ASMAE is a French non-government organization which has been supporting us for years.

The place was a campsite called Aironâs Camp, a private camping site in the nearby province of Batangas. For three days and two nights, the kids, aged 9-16, underwent a series of mental, physical, and psychologically challenging activities all meant to train and prepare them for the battle of real life. The set up of the event was similar to a military training camp.

At the blow of the camp master’s whistle, kids must assemble themselves to receive their instructions for the day. They were assigned their specific tasks/chores throughout the duration of the camp. gathered together for three days of fun and adventure at the third HOPE-ASMAE Youth Camp 2008.

The kids, and even the volunteers and HOPE workers headed by Bryan Suriaga (Program Manager for the Center of HOPE in Laguna) had a blast competing against each other and at other times working with each other.

At the end of the camp, all the participants left the place with new friends, beautiful memories to cherish, and renewed HOPE in their hearts.

IMPACT Stories

• Angelo Bacus, 14, seems to be new in the neighborhood. He was born in Manila, but mostly lived in Davao, Mindanao. He had a hard time articulating his thoughts and sometimes he is being made fun of because of this. It’s a good thing that he ended up being friends with the HOPE Youth Advocator’s Club (YAC). The Camp made him more bonded with YAC and they now have a great common experience. He has become the great acrobat of the Payata group during the Camp because of his athletic ability. The YAC, inspired by the Camp, has been planning on having Gelo be a member of the club soon, together with the other 5 non-YAC participants from Payata. He is now more confident expressing himself in the group.

• Jenny M. Deanon, 14, Mary Ann Lumibao, 13, and Joan Mora, 12, are part of the Community Based Treatment of Abuse Program (CBTAP) but are still recovering and have limited confidence in expressing themselves. They had a hard time during the pre-camp activities bonding with the majority of the Payata Group. But through the course of the Camp, they continued building-up their relationship with the rest of Payata Group, as well as with the youth from Baseco and Laguna. Now, they have become part of the YAC group and are being processed to become full pledge members of the Club. They are now more expressive of their thoughts, which may facilitate more their healing in the CBTAP.