Abused children now have a bigger home in Bacolod City, where they can seek refuge and hide from their abusers.
The Haven House’s two-story Kalipay Home has three big rooms with bathrooms that can accommodate at least 40 children, said Kalipay Negrense Foundation Inc. (KNFI) president Anna Balcells.
It also has a library-classroom for children who cannot go to school, a timeout room for those suffering from trauma who become violent, a kitchen, a living room, an office for social workers, a clinic and two rooms for volunteers who help take care of the children.
A wall has also been built around the property to keep the children safe.
“The new Haven is a gift to the disadvantaged and abused children of Negros Occidental and Bacolod,” Balcells said.
Hefty donation
The “gift” actually came from a Manila-based philanthropist, a friend of Balcells’, who decided to give a hefty donation upon hearing that the children’s old home at Fuentebella Subdivision in Bacolod had become run down and was being eaten by termites.
The old facility was purchased in 2007 with the help of another friend of Balcells’, Elizabeth Sy, a daughter of taipan Henry Sy of the SM Group of Companies. The property was also bought with Sy’s donation.
The Haven House was originally located in a rented house in Bacolod in early 2000. It was run by American social worker Philip Seckler, 75, and his wife, Cecilia Garcia, a native of Negros Occidental, using their pension from the United States.
Permanent home
But the Seckler couple were running out of money and food for the children.
Balcells then decided to gather her friends and put up the KNFI to help the Secklers buy a permanent home for the children they were caring for. A two-story wooden house was bought in Fuentebella Subdivision.
Kalipay was created to accept donations that were coming in for the Haven, Balcells said. It took over the management of Haven House last year as the Secklers were set to retire this month.
Another facility, the Recovered Treasures’ Kalipay Home, was set up n Bago City, also in Negros Occidental. Both Haven and Recovered Treasures are run by full-time house parents and staff.
When Kalipay started helping Haven in 2007, there were only 18 children. Now, it had grown to 30. The building can no longer accommodate that number and had been deteriorating and infested by termites.
In March last year, Balcells said she was talking to a friend, Miguel Bonet, Kalipay’s ambassador to Spain, about the need to raise funds to build a new house for Haven. Their conversation was overheard by her philanthropist friend.
“The next day, she (philanthropist) came to me and said ‘I want you to build that house.’ And I said: ‘But how, I don’t have the money,’” Balcells said.
Her philanthropist friend, who didn’t want to be identified, told Balcells that she would give money to build a bigger facility. The old house was then torn down to give way to a bigger and better home.
While the facility was being constructed, the children stayed in a rented house on Lizares Avenue. They will move in to their new home on April 1.
Children in need
“We want to put notices out that if a child is being beaten up and hurt, we can take them in at Haven,” Balcells said. A room separate from the main house will be used by social workers to assess and care for children needing help.
“This new house is well thought out with the intention of being a refuge. We hear a lot of stories of children who are abused and don’t know where to run to hide and seek help. We want to be that place for them,” Balcells said.
At the same time, she is asking financial help so the KNFI can sustain at least the monthly needs of the home that cost about P150,000, which covers food, medicine, clothing and the education of the children.
Those interested in helping Kalipay may call 0917-7002345 or 709-1215, or e-mail kalipaynegrensefoundation@yahoo.com.