Bringing bags of hope and excitement for back to school kids

World Vision, a Christian humanitarian organization, together with its celebrity ambassadors, and donor PSBank, recently held a learner’s kit distribution program for students in Manila and Malabon who are set to go back to school.

A total of 2,300 children received new learning kits, which include notebooks, pencils, and a pack of crayons, among others.

The learner’s kit distribution program is part of World Vision’s annual Back to School campaign, which aims to alleviate school supply costs on families while uplifting and empowering children with hope as they return to school. This year, the campaign is dubbed One Bag One Dream with the goal to raise enough funds to provide new learning kits worth Php1,000 per kit.

Present during the distribution were World Vision celebrity ambassadors Jasmin Curtis-Smith, Paolo Valenciano with his wife Sam and their daughter Leia, Emilienne Vigier, as well as World Vision youth ambassador Zachi Chua, and representatives from PSBank, a longtime World Vision partner.

During the event, guest ambassadors encouraged the children with inspiring messages as they prepare for the upcoming school year. The Valenciano family gave the kids a story-telling session, while PSBank volunteers and Chua joined in a stop-dance competition with the children.

Meanwhile, through the distribution program, Curtis-Smith emphasized the importance of education in a child’s growth. “Education is the key to your bright future,” the actress said during the distribution. “With the new bag and school supplies that you have received, we hope that this will inspire you to enjoy going back to school.”

For John Denver Castro, the department head of People Communications and Events for PSBank, he wished the children another year of gained knowledge and wisdom as they go back to the four corners of the classroom.

“I hope that you study hard as classes start, not only to be successful in the future but to be able to give back,” he said.

For World Vision-assisted children like nine-year-old Shienna, receiving her learner kit made her look forward to going back to school. “I’m excited to go back to school because I will get to learn new things again!” Shienna said. “I will study hard to become a doctor so I could treat the sick.”