Few days before Christmas Day, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) held an information cum service caravan for street children and homeless families in Rajah Sulayman, Malate, Manila, in partnership with the Department of Health, Manila Police District (MPD), Manila Health Department, and the city and barangay government units.

Aside from information dissemination on the various programs and services that the Department is providing for street children and homeless families,  there were also mini art  skills training, story telling by the MPD, and free medical consultation by the DOH.

The activity dubbed as, “Art for the Homeless cum Information and Serbisyo Caravan” was held to provide a mini-training activity to teach street children skills on creative arts and design through painting. 

The “#HELPTheHomelessPH” advocacy campaign of the Department aims to educate the public about the plight of homeless families, and to encourage people to provide appropriate means of assistance to families at-risk on the streets and street children.

“Through the #HELPTheHomelessPH, we hope to raise public awareness about the condition of homeless families, street children and unattached individuals staying on the streets and to show them that there are better, appropriate and responsible means of helping our homeless kababayans instead of just giving alms,” explained DSWD spokesperson, Assistant Secretary Glenda Relova.

The Department also collaborated with MPD, “Ang Guro Kong Pulis” project to provide basic education to street kids through their mobile library and film showing activity, and the DOH to conduct free medical and dental services to homeless families staying in the area.

Social workers were also present to answer queries on the programs and services of the DSWD.

“We are very glad to call our partners in the activity as #HELP Champions because of their dedication in providing the right types of assistance to street children and homeless families. We hope that we can encourage more people to do the same, not only for this holiday season, but also in the future,” said Asec. Relova.

“More work is needed to dismantle the inequality, discrimination, and exclusion experienced by street dwellers, and we need the help of more people to become champions by giving the right forms of assistance that will bring back the dignity and empower the lives of our homeless kababayans,” she ended. ###