ABU DHABI // Pupils at Raha International School have learnt a practical lesson in charity from a man who collects cans to help schoolchildren in his native Philippines.
Michael Manlogon, who uses the cash he receives for the cans to buy school gear for children in a poor area of the country, ignited the spirit of charity in the pupils when he spoke to them at the start of the academic year.
They immediately decided to start their own collection for the school – and more.
“The Perez Quezon community is very poor and many of the children need to walk very far to reach the school,” Mr Manlogon said.
“Most of their parents are fishermen and farmers. They don’t have healthcare services and their classroom seats are pews donated by the local church. I think it’s education that helps get people out of poverty.
“The Raha students were touched to make a difference to help these less fortunate children.
“They know they are more blessed and have a good facility and quality of education that they are enjoying, so in a simple way they can be a big help by collecting cans to help provide children in the Philippines with school supplies.”
The talk hit the target. Not only did the children take up recycling for the cause, they also arranged a flea market that raised almost Dh6,000.
Mr Manlogon has since travelled to Perez to present pupils with their school supplies, and sent photos back to the school.
“I am very thankful to meet these Raha students,” he said. “I am so proud of them that at their early age they can make a difference. I hope we can encourage other schools.”
The school talk began with a chance meeting between Mr Manlogon and Sarah Thomas, who teaches French and theory of knowledge at the International Baccalaureate school.
Mrs Thomas was looking for a pink ukulele and he happened to have one for sale. She arranged to meet him outside a coffee shop to buy it.
As he passed her the ukulele, she was intrigued by the label on it, which read “World Vision Philippines”. The two ended up chatting for an hour.
“When the new school year started, I invited him to meet my Grade 8 advisory group students to talk to them about recycling,” Mrs Thomas said.
“He was really nervous and worried about his English, but the students were so interested to hear his story.
“Michael spoke to the children about the natural disasters in the Philippines and how he sees that as being to do with climate change, and how the way we’re treating our rubbish is partly what’s causing it.
“The students know about these issues as it’s part of our IB curriculum, so it’s useful for them to see a connection, to add an element of reality to what they’ve been learning.”
Mr Manlogon said it was his first time speaking to children in public “and I wanted to make sure they understood every single word so I could encourage them to recycle.
“Somehow I was able to enlighten them to become responsible citizens simply by separating their cans from the rest of their rubbish.”
He also showed the class pictures of the pupils he had been supporting, and explained why he believed it was necessary to help.
Benjamin Tegegna, a pupil from Denmark, said he was inspired by Mr Manlogon’s talk.
“It was amazing how even though he had a full-time job he still found time to do all this stuff for charity,” Benjamin said. “And I never knew you could make sandals out of juice boxes. It’s really cool.”
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