Kristel embodies resilience at a tender age. She was able to get past a traumatic experience and forgive those who hurt her. She has also learned to persevere and to set her eyes on things that can alleviate her present condition.
At 8, Kristel was habitually beaten up by her parents. She was picky on food and once when she refused to eat, her mother hit her with a steel pipe. A concerned neighbor reported this to Bantay Bata 163, which intervened and began counseling both Kristel and her parents.
Bantay Bata 163 recognizes that one long-term solution to solve child abuse and alleviate poverty in cases like Kristel’s is through education.
Many agencies have long been offering scholarship grants and most require students to have good academic standing. Unfortunately for those like Kristel, emotional and psychological scars likely result to a negative performance in school.
Thus, Bantay Bata 163 established its education program primarily to aid in the education of abused children. With the financial support it gets from its donors, it has extended its services to include children recommended by social workers from various local government units and other non-government organizations. These children receive clothing allowance, school supplies, miscellaneous school fees, monthly allowance, transportation and school project allowance.
BEYOND TRAUMA
Aside from educational assistance, the children and their families are constantly monitored of their status and welfare through home visitation. Even after the children are returned to their families, Bantay Bata 163 provide counseling to educate the family on strengthening relationships. Parents and/or guardians are trained by social workers on parenting and communication skills while children are tutored and taught other skills to develop and realize their full potential and become productive members of the society.
It has been five years since the traumatic beatings transpired and Kristel has now rejoined her family. Her parents have also altered the way they discipline their children and have began guiding other parents with similar problems as well.
In school, Kristel is now consistently at the top of her class. She even took the initiative to study at a science school in her city.
As she aspires to become a lawyer someday, she is determined to succeed in the midst of challenges she faces in life. Kristel is confident that with guardians like Bantay Bata 163, she will never be alone.
