OLANGO ISLAND, Cebu, Philippines – The British-Norwegian pop group A1 was in this island last Monday, to check the area where YoungLife village will soon be constructed. The village is envisioned to serve as a home and sanctuary where orphans, abandoned and neglected children will be raised and sheltered.

A1 – composed of Mark Read, Ben Adams and Christian Ingebrigtsen – is in the country for an upcoming concert in Manila. Prior to the concert, they visited Cebu where they were feted as the new ambassadors of YoungLife Health Care and Education Foundation, which was founded in August 2008 by Norwegian and Swedish nationals in Cebu City.

The group committed to hold a concert by April or May this year to raise funds for the foundation.

Finn Wattenberg, founding president and chief operating officer of British Armour, a company supporting YoungLife Foundation said they expect to start the construction of the village by the second quarter of this year and hopes to finish it by 2014.

The village will be constructed in barangay Sta. Rosa in this island with a land area of approximately five hectares.

“The village is a place for underprivileged children with problem. We want to give them back the hope and provide a quality of life so that they can help many others,” said Wattenberg.

Wattenberg said the project will cost $3 million. About 33 homes will be built within the village including medical, dental clinics, dormitory for visiting foreign volunteers, covered sports court, library and playground.

He disclosed that part of the foundations priority is to keep its administrative costs down and to look out for wasteful spending so that donations will be maximized in helping the children.

Wattenberg has been familiar with various humanitarian works because of his exposures to war-turn countries and being a Red Cross member.