I take pleasure in sharing with you the good news of ABC Foundation's recent news and progress.  This issue of ABC News reflects the good things happening with our clients, the poor boys and girls who we, the foundation and our donors, keep in school through scholarships.  We call them "scholarships for the poor" and our scholars include some of the poorest of the poor.  It's easy to be inspired by our motivated scholars, our committed volunteer teachers and administrators, the grateful parents and siblings of our scholars and by our generous donors, giving time, skills and money.  It is a formidable team that, this school year, produced 1,005 scholars.  It is ABC Foundation's first time to exceed 1,000 scholars.

Generous friends like Springboard Foundation have donated on their own and have brought the Robert Bosch Co. and Sykes, Inc. into our corporate donors category.  Bosch sponsors 2 classes (90 Night High Scholars) and Sykes 1 class (45 Night High Scholars).  135 scholars benefit directly from these 2 socially responsible companies.  Bosch manufactures and sells a complete line of automotive products including the Blaupunkt stereo line while Sykes is a giant (BPO) Business Processing Organization with a 10,000 seat call center presence in the Philippines.

Fred Guerrero is a friend from the Rotary Club of Diliman who each time I ask him to help our scholars in one way or another always answers me "You are my friend, I will help you."  And he always does.  Thanks, Fred.

But, the news is not always good.  Tragically, we lost a 4th year scholar at Siena Taytay, to dengue (hemorrhagic fever) last school year.  And, each year we do have a few dropouts, the most common cause being the family moving to the province for employment of the parents or lower cost of living.

Mother Cecilia of St. Martin de Porres surprised us one day when we were in Siena, Quezon City and I observed our scholars all lined up in the cafeteria, each getting a wholesome meal.  I said to her, "how did this happen, who is sponsoring these meals?"  She replied that a lady banker in Hong Kong when offered by Mother Cecilia a variety of projects she could donate to chose to feed our poor scholars, numbering 129 at this school for a year.  The magnitude of this gift is stunning if you know how poor our scholars are. 

Another wonderful surprise was when we got a big donation from good friends, with the instruction that we use that donation to start a feeding program  for the kids, so that not only their minds are filled, but their stomachs as well.  We are indeed very blessed to know so many generous people! Thank you Bob & Bev Sellar of Pleasanton, Ca., USA.