Jojo

Jojo is a 59 year old mum of 4, one of which is adopted. Her youngest, Caleb, is a 10yr old boy, and her grandson Roan, 8yrs old, are in their third year of the feeding program. Caleb has been given to her when he was only a few weeks old in the middle of the street from a women how could not afford to raise him. Mamita believes that he is a blessing.

She is a full time volunteer and when she finishes in the kitchen, she sells homemade bags to make extra money. Her husband is sick and her eldest son is the only one who provides economic help.

Impact of the feeding program on her life and her children's life:

She is a very bubbly and outgoing person. She explains that volunteering in the kitchen is the perfect environment for her to do what fuels her body which is to socialise and meet new people! Since she began to volunteer, she is more active and she feels younger which enables her to enjoys life more. For her it is very important to have an active life as her mum died at a young age from health issues. The feeding program has had a good impact also on her husband who, when there is leftovers, can benefit from the healthy food from the kitchen. Since he is sick it is very important he has a healthy diet. She says that when there is enough leftover she shares it with her neighbours who are more poor and usually eat only once or twice a day. She emphasises the fact that the program is not only helping her children and her family but also her neighbourhood. Caleb & Roan have started to have a greater appetite and a more regular and healthy diet, as they develop the habit to eat veggies. The children have also more energy to focus on learning. Especially Roan who has shown academic improvements by achieving higher grades. 


Sometimes children are brought to our feeding program by members of the local community because they have been orphaned or abandoned. Current statistics show that 1 in 20 children in the Philippines are orphaned or abandoned.