Street Children in the Philippines: Crisanto's Story

Summary

Canto, a 15-year-old from Manila, escaped a life of poverty and abuse to find refuge at Pangarap, a shelter for street children. After enduring violence and drug use in a gang, he was introduced to education by a street educator. Returning to Pangarap, he now attends school, participates in resilience sessions, and makes candles to earn money. Canto dreams of studying accounting or becoming a sailor to travel the world and lift his family out of poverty.

Takeaways

• 🏡 Canto is a 15-year-old living at Pangarap, a shelter for street children in Manila, Philippines.
• 😢 Canto experienced domestic violence and felt like a burden, leading him to run away from home.
• 🏙️ After running away, Canto lived in a dangerous cemetery, involved in a gang and sniffing glue (rugby).
• 🔄 Canto scavenged for recyclable materials and sold them to survive.
• 👤 He met Elvie, a street educator, who introduced him to the concept of children's rights and the importance of education.
• 📚 Canto first came to Pangarap in 2006 but left due to bullying, later returning after staying at another shelter for three years.
• 💡 Pangarap provides resilience sessions to help children stay on track and avoid negative influences.
• 🕯️ Canto participates in a workshop at the shelter where they make candles, earning money for personal needs or to support his family.
• 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Canto visits his family every three months and is happy to be back in school, studying and feeling like a normal child.
• 🎓 Canto is looking forward to obtaining his high school certificate in two years and has aspirations to go to college or become a sailor.
• 🤝 Canto has forgiven his father after an apology and sees his family as motivation to improve his life and help them out of poverty.

Q & A

Where does Canto live currently?

Canto lives at Pangarap, a shelter for street children in Manila, the capital of the Philippines.

What was Canto's home situation like before he ran away?

Canto's home situation was poor and violent. His father would hit him when he was drunk, starting when Canto was 6 years old.

Why did Canto decide to run away from home?

Canto decided to run away because of the constant fighting and physical abuse from his father when he was drunk.

What was life like for Canto after he ran away?

After running away, Canto lived in San Cemetery, where he was involved in a gang, sniffing glue, scavenging for recyclables, and selling them for food or drugs.

What is 'rugby' as mentioned in the script?

'Rugby' refers to the act of sniffing glue, which Canto and others did as a form of drug use to numb hunger and other problems.

How did Canto's life change after meeting Elvie?

After meeting Elvie, a street educator, Canto became interested in education and children's rights, which led him to pursue his education.

Why did Canto leave Pangarap shelter initially?

Canto initially left Pangarap shelter because some kids were mean and bullying him.

What is the purpose of the resilience sessions at Pangarap shelter?

The resilience sessions are a program designed to keep the children from going astray, providing them with strength and guidance as they grow older.

How does Canto earn money at the shelter?

Canto earns money by making candles in a workshop at the shelter. For every candle sold, he gets 20% of the price.

What are Canto's future aspirations?

Canto is contemplating going to college to study accounting or becoming a sailor to travel the world.

How does Canto feel about his family and their future?

Canto's family is his motivation to have a better life. He wants to lift them out of poverty and plans to leave the shelter when he has a good job and can support himself.