Street Children in the Philippines: Crisanto's Story

UNICEF UK

14 Nov 201004:39

Summary

TLDRCanto, 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.

Outlines

00:00

🏘️ Life at Pangarap Shelter

Canto, a 15-year-old from Manila, shares his journey from a difficult childhood marked by poverty and abuse to finding solace at the Pangarap shelter for street children. He recounts living in a cemetery, being part of a gang, and engaging in dangerous activities like sniffing glue for survival. His life takes a turn when he meets Elvie, a street educator who introduces him to the concept of children's rights and the importance of education. Despite initial challenges, including bullying, Canto finds a new lease on life at Pangarap, where he can study and participate in activities that build resilience.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Street children

Street children are minors who live on the streets, often due to poverty, family dysfunction, or other social issues. In the video, Canto is a street child who found shelter at Pangra, highlighting the harsh realities faced by such children in Manila.

💡Domestic violence

Domestic violence refers to physical, emotional, or sexual abuse within the family unit. Canto's father's drunken behavior and hitting him exemplify domestic violence, which led to Canto considering himself a burden and eventually running away.

💡Drug abuse

Drug abuse is the harmful or hazardous use of psychoactive substances, including illicit drugs. Canto mentions 'rugby,' which is sniffing glue, a form of drug abuse that he engaged in while living in the streets to cope with hunger and hardship.

💡Gang

A gang is a group of individuals who engage in criminal activities or exhibit a certain level of organization and intimidation. Canto was part of a gang that involved in theft and scavenging, illustrating the dangers and influences of gangs on street children.

💡Homelessness

Homelessness is the condition of having no home or permanent residence. Canto's experience of living in San Cemetery and his subsequent stays at shelters emphasize the plight of homeless children in the city.

💡Education

Education is the process of acquiring knowledge, skills, values, and habits. Canto's interest in pursuing education, facilitated by Elvie, a street educator, and his eventual return to school, underscore the transformative power of education for street children.

💡Resilience

Resilience is the ability to recover from or adjust easily to misfortune or change. The resilience sessions at the shelter aim to provide strength and guidance, reflecting the importance of resilience in overcoming adversity, as seen in Canto's journey.

💡Child labor

Child labor refers to the employment of children in the workforce, often under exploitative conditions. Canto's scavenging for recyclable materials to sell exemplifies child labor, which is a common challenge for street children.

💡Reconciliation

Reconciliation is the restoration of friendly relations. Canto's father apologizes for his past actions, and Canto forgives him, demonstrating the process of reconciliation within a family context.

💡Motivation

Motivation is the reason or reasons one has for acting or behaving in a particular way. Canto's desire to provide a better life for his family and escape poverty is his motivation, driving his pursuit of education and future goals.

💡Future aspirations

Future aspirations are hopes or ambitions for one's future. Canto contemplates becoming a sailor or studying accounting, showing that despite his past, he has dreams and aspirations for a better future.

Highlights

Canto, a 15-year-old, lives at Pangarap, a shelter for street children in Manila, Philippines.

He experienced domestic violence and poverty, leading him to believe he was a burden.

At 6 years old, Canto began to think of running away from home due to his father's drunken violence.

Canto lived in a dangerous cemetery after running away, where he was involved in a gang.

He engaged in 'rugby', which is sniffing glue, and scavenged for recyclables to sell.

Canto faced hunger, fights, and police chases while living on the streets.

He met Elvie, a street educator, who helped him realize the importance of education.

Canto first came to Pangarap Shelter in 2006 but initially ran away due to bullying.

He stayed at Kuya Center for 3 years, where he attended school.

Returning to Pangarap Shelter, Canto feels happy and can study again.

The resilience sessions at the shelter provide strength and guidance.

Canto earns money by making and selling candles at the shelter's workshop.

He visits his family every 3 months and is happy to be back in school.

Canto attends a local school, P West, with other boys from the shelter.

He enjoys learning about the history of the Philippines.

Canto practices dance moves with his friend Arvin every evening.

He recently reconciled with his father, who apologized for past abuse.

Canto's family is his motivation to have a better life and escape poverty.

He plans to leave the shelter when he has a good job and can support himself.

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

He dreams of traveling the world, including visiting Beijing and the UK.