Life inside the foundation was such a blessing. In God’s providential ways, the foundation molded me to become the person I am today. The best thing they taught at my early age was being independent.

Indeed, I am so grateful to St. John Calabria for founding this charitable institution run by the Calabrian missionaries who heartily offer opportunities especially for underprivileged children by sending them to school.

I am so blessed to know the Calabrian Family because it made me a complete and a whole person. It was here where I experienced having a family to lean on whatever will happen. It is in CCF where a person will be formed into a good person, good citizen, and a good Christian.

In our darkest moments, God sends the most wonderful people. When our family was on the brink of giving up, God sent to us Calabrian Children’s Foundation.

For me, living inside CCF felt like winning the lottery. I was just one of the luckiest that I found CCF, or maybe it is the other way around: CCF found me. They helped me in all aspects of my life. Everything was free – shelter, food, education, and above all, their commitment to teach us about God and faith.

Before entering CCF, I was like any other kid who had a big dream. We are seven siblings in the family and my father was the sole provider of our basic necessities. Back then, I was a working student, while taking up my high school studies. Because of our poverty, I was worried that I might not be able to finish my studies due to overwhelming responsibilities. However, God had a plan for me. He opened the door for me leading me to joining CCF.

My journey in Calabrian Children’s Foundation (CCF) started in the year 2015. Back then, I was a just 14-year-old kid who wanted to live and survive. My parents cannot afford to provide us, their children, a decent living. We had to survive with a meager income that they can offer for our basic necessities. I remember I had to run through errands to support our family.