On the 22nd and 23rd May 2021, Fundlife International distributed 100 gift boxes from JP Morgan & Chase in two barangays of Olango Island, Lapu-Lapu City. The gift boxes were given to 5- to 8-year-old girls and boys in Barangay Sta. Rosa and Barangay Tungasan.
The Journey of the Gift Boxes
We received 200 gift boxes from JP Morgan & Chase, a local non-government organization (Bidlisiw Foundation Inc.) was tapped to help with the identification of beneficiaries and distribution. Half of the gift boxes were allocated in the island barangays while the rest will be distributed in the barangays of Cebu City.
With the help of the Lapu-Lapu City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office (CDRRMO), the 100 gift boxes were transported from the wharf all the way to the island barangays. It was indeed a pure coordination between an NGO and the LGU.
Cookies and Colouring Books
On the first day, the gift boxes were distributed to the children in Barangay Sta. Rosa. A short Cookie Decorating Session was also held. The kids decorated the cookies with the use of sprinkles and frostings. Smiling star cookies, colourful cookies with a lot of sprinkles and a lot more were among the designs the kids did. The looked very excited eating their personalised cookies, whilst taking the chance to show-off their creativity to their parents.
On the second day, the kids in Barangay Tungasan received the gift boxes. They also had the chance to decorate their own cookies and even did a short colouring activity from the colouring book included in the gift box.
All in all, the kids in the two island barangays were very happy to receive the gift boxes. A parent even expressed that the gift boxes are helpful for her kid to develop her child’s creativity and cope up with the stay-at-home setting during this pandemic.