RBA School project started with visit
By Bruce Warren
In March of 2008, I found myself boarding a plane in San Francisco’s International Airport bound for a country I had never visited before - the Philippines.
When I got there I was welcomed by my friend and we headed for a small town near the middle of Mindanao, the southern most island in the Philippines.
Soon, I was invited to attend a public elementary school graduation celebration by Principal Joselito Maslog of the Ray Buenaventura A. Sabulao Memorial Elementary School. When I was there, there were some awards given out that were non-academic and quite different from the states. Awards such as “Most Honest,” “Most Sincere,” “Most Improved ” and others.
And the one guest speaker by the name of Clara gave a talk on how mothers prepared their children for school. Clara gave an inspirational speech to the children on the value of education. It surprised me how openly she talked about how God could always find a way for those who are determined to succeed.
She talked about how every mother hopes her children will have a better life some day. She described how mothers will find the best clothes they can for their children. Then they iron them and prepare them for the school day.
She did not mention that 60 percent of these students live in bamboo huts beside the highway. Families living in that way do not own any property.
Later, I was given a tour of the classrooms. I noticed that the paper-bound textbooks were torn and tattered. Unlike America, there were no hardbound books.
With temperatures soaring over 100 degrees on many days, I noticed the school had no fans and no electricity as in some other area schools.
When I slipped and cut my finger on one of the sheet-metal roofs there, I asked the principal for a band-aid. There were none. No first aid kit for these young enthusiastic students.
I asked about water and was told they must go to a stream for that.
I asked Principal Joselito about the school’s needs. I didn’t make any promises but told him I’d do the best I can to raise funds for the school after I returned to the states.
Before I created the current web site for the school, a friend generously hosted a site with pictures of RBA Sabulao School. I asked friends if they would donate. Of course, that’s after I received no response from people like Oprah, some churches, local Filipino newspapers in California and more.
But eventually donations started to come after I opened a non-profit account at Wells Fargo bank. I even sold items I no longer used like my conga drum, a stereo, a flute and furniture. All the money from those sales went to the RBA Sabulao School. In fact, 100 percent of all funds donated go directly to benefit the students.
Anyway, in less than four months and with just under $1,000 contributed - water was installed, electricity for lights, some new textbooks were purchased and enough food to feed 222 students one school meal a day for at least one month. Now, in 2010 the enrollment has grown to more than 280 and school meals depend on new donations.
It really seems like a miracle to me.
Right now, I am the only one thinking about these students. The web site RBAschool.com and public talks are the only means to raise funds.
Your gift can help these children get an education which can change their lives forever.
>>for more information, visit www.rbaschool.com