Home of Love (Orphanage) - Livelihood Program

I have been supporting the Home of Love orphanage for a while now, with whatever little financial support that I could manage.  However since Loquito and I went to the center, we promised Sr. Margaret that we do something that would help the cause of the Pink Nuns!  So, we got hold of some information about their Livelihood Project and we would like to share this to friends, relatives and anyone that are generous enough to share their blessings to needy kids at the center.  I will detail the project as written by Sr. Margaret below.

Home of Love Livelihood Program in Sewing and Baking
Location : Bagasawe, Tuburan, Cebu, Philippines
Owned by: Immaculate Mary Queen of Heaven Missionaries
General Suerior and Foundress :Sr Ma. Corazon J. Salazar, MQHM
Center Head/Directress : Sr. Ma. Marjorie May C. Torion, MQHM

Current Beneficiaries at the Center : Total 31

Brief Project Background:

MQHM Rehabilitation and Livelihood Training Center or the so-called Home of LOVE is a shelter for women and girls victims of prostitution and human traficking.  The MQHM Sisters dedicate their lives in the rescue of prostitutes together with their children dependents which they call "clients".  The center offers a holistic rehabilitation programs and services are committed for the total healing and renewal of the clients (see Fight on Prostitution). One of its programs is to provide the livelihood of the clients while they are undergoing rehabilitation. It is the way in which these women and young girls will earn while continuing their rehabilitation program in the shelter. At present there are 18 clients who are studying the sewing and dress making course. The center aims to provide the livelihood project of sewing this year. At the same time they will also study the skills in baking breads, pastries and cakes. The women who will be awarded this program will receive its equivalent compensation. They will be sewing school uniforms that have an established market. Their income will be put on savings while they remain dependent in the center. This will be given to the clients by the time they will go home and live independently. 

Home of Love has created this project to support the needs of its clientele. These women and girls survivors of prostitution and abused own nothing but they still have the chance to regain back their lost dignity. MQHM believes that after the successful rehabilitation of its clientele, they will become productive members of our society. All they need is our loving and faithful support in their goal of changing their lives. The livelihood program will ensure better future for these women and their children.

EXISTING LIVELIHOOD EQUIPMENT FOR SEWING
1. Singer Household Machine (second hand) – 2 units
2. Portable Sewing Machines (second hand) – 2 units
3. Juki High speed machine (reconditioned) – 1 unit

EXISTING LIVELIHOOD EQUIPMENT FOR BAKING

1. Industrial Oven 3 Layers

PROJECTED ESTIMATED PROJECT COST

1. SEWING EQUIPMENTS Brand New Slightly Used

1.1 JUKI single needle machine with complete set – 3 units
a. Brand new P 23,000.00 x 3 units P 69,000.00
b. Slightly used P 16,500.00 x 3 units P49,500.00

1.2 JUKI (4 threads) Edging Machine with complete set – 2 units
a. Brand new P 52,000.00 x 2 units P 104,000.00
b. Slightly used P 28,000.00 x 2 units P56,000.00

1.3 JUKI Buttonholer Machine with complete set – 1 unit
a. Brand new P 180,000.00 x 1 unit P 180,000.00 Slightly used 
b. P 80,000.00 x 1 unit P80,000.00

1.4 Eastsun 5” Cutting Machine – 2 units
a. Brand new P 24,000.00 x 2 units P48,000.00
b. No second hand P48,000.00

TOTAL PROJECT COST OF BRAND NEW EQUIPMENT 
P 401,000.00  (Four hundred one thousand pesos.) 

TOTAL PROJECT COST OF SLIGHTLY USED EQUIPMENT
P 233,500.00 (Two hundred thirty-three thousand five hundred pesos.)

2. BAKING EQUIPMENT

2.1 Heavy Duty Mixer 10 Liters - 1 unit P 49,000.00

2.2 Dough Shetter 125,000.00

2.3 Baking Plates – 20 pcs x P500.00 10,000.00

2.4 Cooling Rack (quotation to follow) -

2.5 Baking Pans/Molders (estimate only) 10,000.00

TOTAL PROJECT COST
P 194,000.00 (One hundred ninety-four thousand pesos.)

Prepared by:

SR. MA. MARJORIE MAY C. TORION, MQHM

To anyone interested to share their blessings or donate to Home of Love you may contact Sr. Mary Margaret through email : sr_margaret2013@gmail.com or you get hold of their office in Talisay, Cebu. Otherwise send me a comment on here and I will ensure the Sisters will contact you.  God Bless!


MQHM Center Contact details
Home of Love Contact details

Home of Love (Orphanage) in Tuburan Cebu

When we arrived at the Home of Love, at first we were not sure if it was the one, the center was on top of the hill, there was a huge gate that looked like it has seen better days.  I was under the impression that perhaps they have another gate that they use in another part of the center but then we were greeted by a security guard and asked us if we were there to see Sr. Margaret, apparently they were expecting us.  Unfortunately Sr. Margaret was out of town so there was another pink nun that welcomed us.
There was a huge parking space just as you enter. Then there about over 50 steep steps leading to the center.  When we reached the top of the steps, I was panting like crazy as if my tongue would drop.  Haven't had enough adventure of the day? huh! The nun was already there waiting for us with a sincere smile.  Like Sr. Margaret she was very soft spoken and sound very fragile.  I wondered if they all are and I wonder if they ever know how to curse or have they even once in their lives.  I'm crazy to have thought about this.

Sr. Margaret with one of the boys

So, she showed us around. Loquito and I were lead inside.  We were surprised to discover that the center holds about 30+ kids and some rescued women from bars and streets.  Some of them were forced to become underage prostitutes and became drug dependent while some of them were forced to marry at young age and of course had children at 14 or 15 years old.  My god, at that age I was still collecting sandrio stationeries and doing scrapbooks in school while these girls were forced to grow up beyond their age.
We also found out that there was a fence around the center so high that it was impossible to climb if one would think of escaping.  And the windows and doors have grills on them.  At some point I was compelled to ask about it, Sr. Mary ( i thought her name was - i think they are all called Sr. Mary and then another name for example my friend Sr. Mary Margaret), told us that some women and children would escape to go back to their old life.  The center is isolated and there is nothing much to do, so they would run away, some of them were addicted to their life before the center so, about 2-3 months from their rescue they would attempt to run away, hence the fence and grills.  It sounded very sad.

Home of Love children

We were showed their rooms, some ladies with 3 kids and they are sharing in one tiny room like a small family. We saw their facilities, they also have a chapel inside, some classroom and a library with books that have seen better days and some learning tools for both kids and adults.  They also have some collection of cartoon movies for the kids which meant a lot to those little angels, they were so bubbly telling me a summary of fairy tales they saw and I would tell them some part of it, they would look at me wide eyed. One asked me if I also grew up there since I know most of their movies, I smiled and told them that I was once a child like them, so we had the same activities, watched the same fairy tales.  And their smiles were contagious. It was the best picture that I have in my mind that day. The picture of the white beach and blue sky of bantayan island was nothing compared to the picture of these children smiling and giggling in front of us.  At some point they also gave us a dance number which really entertained us most of the afternoon. And then, they were all over Loquito, they all want to be held, he would toss them in the air and catch them like a ball with his huge hands. When we were outside just sitting by the wooden shed, they were all clinging to him like a chinese lucky buddha having to many children all over him.  I was surprised it didn't bother him one bit. There was a joy somehow in his eyes that told me he was enjoying that moment too as I did.  Sr Mary was telling us that the kids always like to play with male visitors, perhaps because they are all women in the center and kids long to have a male figure or a father and we all understood this.
It was 5pm and we should be leaving, we have to drive back to the city, how long? we have no clue.
We said goodbye to the children and promised them that we will be back one day, we also took note of what we can do to help them.

Home of Love children

Sr. Margaret had been in touch with us and shared with us their project which Loquito and I will look at ways how we can help.  They are establishing a livelihood project for the women at Home of Love so that they will be able to stand on their own without subjecting themselves into going back to prostitution.

For any one interested to help for this project, you may visit this link.
Home of Love Livelihood Project
Mary Queen of Heaven Missionaries