Serving Our World
For 100 Years
HAND-IN-HAND WORLD SERVCE
FIJI
QI of BA: Income Generating Project for Rural Women
There are many women, single mothers, and widows in rural villages who are capable of deriving an income from whatever resources are available to them. This project is aimed at assisting such women’s groups where they can work collectively as a team and work towards earning an income for themselves and their family.
The HIH support will be used to purchase and install a bore-hole in one of the rural communities outside Ba, about 15 kms from the town. Support will also provide vegetable seedlings and fruit tree plants that are available all year-round; thus, they could plant and later sell the produce in the market or road-side stall. Since this is a sugar cane farming community, there is little land available and no employment for the women, but they are keen to work at home to earn extra income to help the family.
President Dorothy said: “Fiji is a developing country and Ba is the only place where Quota is active and has been actively doing something for the community for 40 years. We as Quotarians do our best in whatever way we can to help our people, our women, our children and families in need.”
INDIA
QI of DLF City: Shiksha – In Hindi means ‘Education’
DLF City’s Shiksha Project has encompassed a number of educational programs over many years. Currently, the club supports The Government Baliawas Middle School with computer and art classes and resource materials for the library as well as after-school sporting activities for the children supervised by the children of members. At Chakkarpur Senior Secondary School, the club runs after school remedial classes catering for some 200 children. A morning school is also funded for pre-school children with two teachers.
HIH Funding received by the club helps to support the employment of two teachers and a gardener at the Middle School. At Chakkarpur the club supports eight teachers, one helper and a cleaner to cover students from classes 1 to 8 after day school has formally finished. However, a huge financial commitment is also needed from the club to ensure that the funding that’s needed is available.
President Rita said: “Project Shiksha has grown over the past 20 years and the members are not only committed to doing what they can to improve the lives and education of the children, but we have seen the rewards of that commitment in the children and their families who have been supported.”
QI of NEW DELHI: Charitable Home for Orphan Girls
The 2019 project implemented by members of Quota International of New Delhi is to provide a home for orphan girls aged from six to 16 at the Quota Home. The girls will be provided with food, clothing and education under the care and supervision of a live-in matron. Funding is needed for food, clothing, equipment, and training supplies.
Young girls will attend classes at the Home, and the older girls are going to a normal school outside of the facility. After school some of the older girls attend computer and tailoring classes held at the Home in training for employment. They are provided skills for when they advance out of the Quota Home.
The girls selected for placement are on their own and have no where to live.
President Sushila said: “We are trying to make the life of some abandoned girls who have no place to go and often fall into the hands of wrong men a positive one for the future. No family is prepared to keep them even as domestic help and they become beggars on the roads. If we can help some of these unfortunate girls to live a normal life with a smile, then we are grateful for the opportunity.”
QI of Sainik Farm: Supporting the Elderly and Educating the Young
Sainik Farm members work to ensure that the Seniors in the Quota Home for the Aged who have been abandoned by their family live in dignity with their basic needs for clothing, medicine, and food met by the club as needed. The pre-school program serves children aged from three to six whose parents cannot afford nursery school; children having this support for 12 months ensures that they will be accepted into a primary school in First Grade to continue their education.
Sainik Farm uses their HIH donations to support their on-going Projects, but also to provide support to children and families in their community who need it the most.
President Veena said: “ Our Sainik Farm club works in a community with multiple needs and the club also uses its funding to support Cancer Kids with food and medicines, to sponsor an annual eye camp, and to sponsor a vocational program for people with Downs Syndrome.”
MALAYSIA
QI of Kuala Lumpur: Life Coaching Skills for Women, Children, and the Deaf
This project has been continuing since 2006 in partnership with the Women’s Aid Organization shelter and RC Deaf Missions Malaysia. The Shelter provides protection for abused women, trafficked women, and victims of domestic violence – they either find their own way to the shelter or are referred by the Social Welfare Department or police. The Deaf Mission works to enhance livelihood and continually works towards creating a successful industry with deaf impact. HIH funding provides “Welcome Bags” for the women containing basic toiletries, towels, and sanitary products, and provides activity items such as beads to teach women the skills for earning an income. For the Deaf Mission, Quota provides course fees for the deaf to undergo training and items to improve production capacity for the RCDM Café work skills.
The beneficiaries of these projects fall within the gambit of Quota International’s Mission Statement, i.e. women, children, the deaf and hard-of-hearing, and people with speech difficulties.
President Dr. Lim Chai Leng said: “QIKL works with organizations who are able to provide shelter and basic facilities. But the club’s projects address livelihood enhancement, and these improvements – education and training, investment in facilities — result in income generational activities sustainable in the long run.”
PHILIPPINES
QI of Angeles: Teach to learn; Learn to Earn
The HIH funding provides sewing machines for this Livelihood Project. The more sewing machines that can be provided, the more household/families will benefit from extra income. This is a continuing program with now 200 housewives, 20 out-of-school youths and 10 persons with a disability in the project.
The women in the region have little knowledge of how to sew, but it is easy for them to learn a simple skill and turn rags into pot-holders. They, in turn, teach other women in the community how to sew and they don’t need to leave their home to earn the extra income.
President Nila said: “Our club extends our deepest appreciation for your continuing generosity in extending financial assistance to our Livelihood Project. The standard of living of the recipients has improved and the ripple effect create with other women provides a huge benefit to the community.”
QI of Cebu: Multi-Skills Livelihood Training Program in Baking, Beauty Care, Massage and Wellness, Housekeeping and Fashion Accessories Creation
This new project aims to train disadvantaged women, particularly the deaf and hard-of- hearing in San Jose, Cebu City, a depressed area where most of the residents have no sufficient means of income to support their families’ daily needs, send their children to school and provide other basic needs. The club is confident that with these training’s, its beneficiaries will be able to earn and uplift their quality of life.
With the donation, the club will be able to buy the needed baking equipment, furniture and fixtures for beauty care, massage, housekeeping, and fashion jewelry creations as well as pay the Trainer’s professional fees for the training of the targeted two hundred trainees. For the past 20 years, the club has found that the quality of life in the Day Care Centers funded by the club has not significantly improved. They believe it is the mothers who need the assistance to provide an additional source of income to make a difference for the children and family life.
President Connie said: “By clubs across the world donating HIH funds to address the inequality problem that we are experiencing in some countries, they have fulfilled Quota’s Mission and Vision and will make the world a happier place for its children.”
QI of Cebu East: Sign Language & Braille Reading and Writing Literacy Program
This Project began in 2012 and offers basic functional sign language and braille reading and writing lessons to university students specializing in Special Education (SPED), family members of the deaf, and the hard of hearing. When these future teachers graduate, they are equipped to communicate and handle deaf and blind students in their classes. As teachers are assigned to more rural areas, they can take these skills with them.
The HIH donation will be used to purchase teaching materials and teaching aids (projector & screen is currently needed), transportation cost for classes outside the city and expenses for the graduation activity.
President Chergelyn said: “I have learned from personal experience and contact, the inspiring stories that never fail to encourage me and the members of Quota Cebu East to continue our sign language functional literacy program to bridge the gap between the “hearing and non-hearing world. The HIH donation creates a rippling effect where more families of deaf and blind children are happy and feel loved.”
QI of Cebu South: Food & Beverage Service Training and Rehabilitation of We-Share-A-Bakery
This on-going project provides food and beverage services for the hard of hearing and is designed to develop the students’ knowledge, skills, and attitude to perform the task required. It covers core competencies and training for students at the Lipata SPED School. Core competencies covered include – preparing dining/restaurant area for service; mastery of the rules in table setting, napkin folding, banquet set-up styles; preparation of equipment, utensils and supplies; sequence of food serving; welcoming guests, taking orders and using techniques that will be convenient for both hard-of-hearing servers and guests; and providing food and beverage services to guests.
HIH funding is used to cover transport for the students, equipment, and materials needed for training, storage facilities for equipment, and maintenance of bakery equipment.
President Ernest Herrera II said: “The We-Share-a-Bakery has not only provided skills to the hard-of-hearing scholars, it also gives them hope and confidence that they can make a difference in society. Aside from learning the basics in baking and bread making, it also teaches them to be entrepreneurs as they learn how to market products. This is not only a school program, but entails community involvement.”
QI of Davao: Play & Study Enrichment Program at the Children’s Blood Diseases Unit of Southern Philippines Medical Center
The Children’s Blood Diseases Unit of Southern Philippines Medical Centre caters to kids with hemophilia, leukemia, and other blood diseases and cancers from all parts of the Province of Mindanao. An average of 20 patients are confined in this unit on a daily basis and may be confined to hospital for a number of days or months. Families may have to go home to rural areas and may not have brought a toy or book for the child from home.
The first part of the HIH funding will be used to renovate a small play and reading room. The club will provide air-conditioning, new flooring, new book and toy shelves and toys and books. The next phases of the project will be its sustainability in books and toys when it is in full use. Scheduled play and reading activities will be scheduled by the club, and other activities such as art classes may be possible. This Center is a unique facility which caters to chronically sick kids from across the Province, from very impoverished backgrounds.
President Euny said: “There are too many little hands and there are those little hands that belong to sick kids. The public hospital receives significant funding for diagnostic expertise and treatment but the unit does not have a recreation space for a sick child. Quota Davao wants help to touch their lives and make them smile, even if it’s just with a book or a puffy toy.”
QI of Iloilo: Leganes Resource Center for the Deaf
This project started in 1998 and has evolved to promote not only educational facilities for deaf children, but also workforce development programs for adult hard-of-hearing learners and their families by empowering them through sustainable livelihood programs. One former student, Chas Jomantoc, benefitted from the program and now has his own thriving food business.
Donations for this Project contribute to a five-year plan for the Workforce Development and Livelihood Program. In 2019, the donations will be used for training and operating and setting up income-generating circles primarily in soap making and hand and foot reflexology.
President Mercedita said: “We’ve shared our best support over the past 20 years, impacting deaf day-care kids to grade school graduates; these recipients now as deaf adults should be further blessed in total human development with full opportunities through Iloilo club’s Five-Year Development Plan bringing all of our deaf learners and their families to their rightful place under the sun of Quota Service.”
QI of Las Piñas: “Pet Project” Hard of Hearing School and Adopted Pediatric Ward at Las Piñas General Hospital
The Las Pinas club “adopted” the Aladana Elementary School’s hard-of-hearing children’s classroom many years ago, and annually support the students from four years old to college with the supply of school uniforms, school supplies, food, hearing aides, and eye check-up and glasses to those in need. In the adopted Pediatric Hospital Ward, the club has provided new beds, sheets, an incubator, new born screening test vaccine, and baby medical kits.
The donations for this club’s Hand-in-Hand program support the needs of the hard-of-hearing children, and building bridges for them and their families in needy circumstances. Support for impoverished families supports the morale of mothers helping the hospital and the parents to provide basic needs for the welfare of the child.
President Estela said: “We are proud of what we have achieved through our HIH Projects to make Las Pinas club known as a community support group and carers to the less fortunate. We are always happy for Quotarians from other countries to visit us and see for themselves our beneficiaries and the results of our support."
QI of Legazpi-Mayon: Stitch-for-a-Living
This Project is on-going and teaches hard-of-hearing students and unemployed women how to sew in marginalized communities providing them with an opportunity to earn a living from home. The training to date has extended to 80-90 beneficiaries and the work continues with a plan to double the figure in the next five years.
The HIH donation is used for the purchase of sewing machines, sewing materials and kits, as well as the hiring of a Trainer to teach the basic skills to the hard-of-hearing girls and mothers who join the program. Once they learn the skills, they take orders and make this their main source of livelihood.
President Jessica said: “We now have many disadvantaged women and hard of hearing students who have benefited from the project and the donation goes a long way to supporting these marginalized sectors of society. Our beneficiaries become self-sufficient and empowered individuals able to take orders and earn additional income for their families – all through the skills they have learned from the sewing training.”
QI of Mandaue: Vocational Training for High School Deaf Students
In 2019, Mandaue Club continues its passion of providing skills training for High School Deaf Students at the Mandaue SPED School. Training has already been provided in various Beauty Salon Skills such as hair coloring and cutting and perming from past HIH donations.
The 2019 grant will be used for Foot Spa Training and Reflexology. These are services that beauty salons offer and among the PWD (Persons with Disabilities), the Deaf and Hard of Hearing have the greatest number of hired workers. These students can also start their own business and earn income through home service.
President Rose said: “Mandaue club has a dream. We dream that the day will come when the deaf and hard of hearing, the visually impaired, and other persons with disabilities will be self-sustaining; that they are hired in jobs they can do; that they are functional members of the community; and that they can live their lives as normal as possible. Our HIH Projects provide vocational skills training to the deaf. The deaf and hard of hearing can do everything a normal person can do except hear. Let us not deprive them of other special training’s they can use to uplift their way of living”.
QI of Manila: Educational Development, Health & Wellbeing, and Workforce Support
The club’s continuing support for children attending the Philippines School for the Deaf will assist students to learn the skills to be good citizens and gain employment and have a good family life.
Project funding will provide school supplies, subsidize the students’ transport allowance, and provide specialist seminars aimed at helping them to learn skills to generate an income.
President Joana said: “Funds will help us in achieving our goals and dreams for our beneficiaries by inspiring them to become involved with meaningful experiences.”
QI of Manila South: “Silid Araian” (Classroom)
The 2019 project provides supplemental classrooms and mentoring support for low-performing or academically-challenged elementary and high school students in public schools – helping them reach their full potential by equipping them with necessary socio-emotional and 21st century skills.
The project aims to refurbish 13 “Silid Aralan” classrooms in key areas with books, educational tools, and materials to stimulate and harness students’ drive for learning and affect a change in their lives for the future. In partnering with “Silid Aralan” the Manila South club can see an opportunity for a pioneering approach to education by complementing traditional academic classrooms in public schools in the country, where they are over-crowded and limited in resources. In such an educational environment, slow learners are discouraged, not engaged, and lose interest in education.
President Gina said, “The 'Silid Aralan' vision is in line with the UN Sustainable Development Goals 4 and 11 which are Quality Education and Reducing Inequalities respectively. We believe that every Filipino learner must be given quality and relevant education that helps them develop, able to compete globally in the job market, and take an active role in nation-building.”
QI of Metro Cebu: Toilet for Pardo SPED School
This is a continuation of the project started in 2016 to upgrade the facilities at the Pardo SPED School. The completed classroom has no toilet and the teachers need to be able to supervise the students in personal hygiene in the classroom situation. The students will also be taught to leave their surroundings clean for the next user, and in so doing, cooperation and thoughtfulness is fostered. The club wishes to provide a learning environment which is similar to the students’ homes – accessible, comfortable and complete. Kitchen facilities in the future will complete the upgrade.
The donation will be used for the purchase of materials and salaries for the workers assigned until the toilet is finished and ready for use. Previously, Pardo SPED had only one classroom which was dilapidated and needed help. The school’s water from the tank above entered the room, making the room musty and wet. In this continuing project, Metro Cebu club has already provided new roofing on the room, made the walls more permanent, installed tiles on the floor and painted the walls and ceiling.
President Cheryl said: “The lower strata of society always come last due to big budgetary requirements and less financial contribution from the government. Those of us who are lucky to have more capability to donate should look inside ourselves and think that the beneficiaries are worthy of our help and have dreams and aspirations too, but with bigger hurdles and obstacles to overcome."
QI of Pampanga: SPED Resource & Learning Centre, City of San Fernando Elementary School
Pampanga club has been supporting this on-going project with children who are speech-impaired, mentally challenged, visually-impaired, and hard of hearing with computers, TV monitors, and books, and we have supported all of their activities by joining in for special events. Members also interact with the parents to be able to know better the specific needs of their children and provide resources of benefit to them.
The 2019 funding will be used to help develop the best all-round education for the children – spiritually through special catechism classes and mentally by providing them with learning aids that enhance their skills, helping to make them competitive and globally connected. Meals and snacks are provided from time to time as well as hygiene kits for their fitness and well-being.
President Vilma said: “With this Hand-in-Hand project, Pampanga club lends a hand in developing the youth of today as an integral part of society, sharing in its vision in making the City of San Fernando progressive and vibrant – home of happy and peace-loving children."
QI of Paranaque: Restoring and Refurbishing the Comfort Rooms of BF Homes Health Centre
In 2010, statistics showed that in Barangay BF Homes, Paranaque City’s Barangay with a population of more than 100,000, most low-income group earners are catered for by the Barangay BF Health Center – the only Health Clinic in the community. The clinic receives 100 – 150 persons on a daily basis – mostly children from newborn to 7-years old serviced by only one doctor. Before Quota Paranaque took over the clinic as its project several years ago, the center was disintegrating. The club saw the importance of the clinic in the community and have applied for approval for refurbishing and , They have worked tirelessly on its improvement.
The 2019 funding will be used for repairs and replacements of all four toilets in the Health Center – only one of which is currently somewhat serviceable.
President Maria said: “Our Hand-in-Hand Project is a health centre situated in a densely populated Barangay with only one doctor and appears to have been neglected by the government. With lack of maintenance, typhoons and earthquakes causing clogs and leaks, and 1000 people using the toilets daily, the toilets also have become a health hazard. Paranaque Club is committed to continuing the improvement work on this Health Clinic to change lives by improving the health care of the people who need the facility in their community."
SURINAME
QI of Suriname: Quota Poku Prisiri
This 2019 Music Project extends over six months held in four different schools and institutions for children with a mental and/or physical disability. During the project, music classes are taught to the children attending the participating schools and concludes with a musical “Final Presentation”, where the children who participated in the classes perform on stage to show off what they have learned.
The HIH donation will cover the expenses relating to music instruments for the classes, transportation costs, and production costs for the final presentation.
Children with disabilities face grave challenges in Suriname as the government is often unable to provide adequate special facilities to enhance the development of these children. This project will provide education to a group of about 175 Surinamese children with a disability as well as providing general on-the-job training for 15 teachers at the four participating schools. The ultimate goal is to achieve sustainable anchoring of music education at the participating schools and to stimulate self-confidence and well- being among all participants.
President Maureene said: “When you support this project, you actively better the life of many special needs children in Suriname. You will help boost their self-confidence, so they will be better able to take on life’s challenges, which are always rougher for people with disabilities. Their self – image is enhanced, ultimately having a positive effect on their self- reliance.”
Changing Lives in Developing Countries
HAND-IN-HAND 2020 & BEYOND
Current Hand in Hand (HIH) projects will continue on after the dissolution of Quota International on September 30th, 2020. Facebook and Paypal will be utilized from now on to complete the HIH donations, both free services; below outlines the plan.