Dizza, James and JR Venancio are orphans from Sibuyan Island, Romblon.
The kids were left by their mother when JR was just one year old. Their father passed away in February 2015, leaving the three kids to fend for themselves.
Dizza, the eldest, is 13 years old and acts as the mother and father to her siblings. They work in the forest twice a week getting tree sap or “balau” in the local dialect. Dizza is paid 20 pesos for every day of service. When they don’t have enough money for food, Dizza and her siblings go to the ocean to dive for shells. They sell these to the market for a small price. They use this money for food and to send themselves to school.
Despite their hardships in life, Dizza remains at the top of her class. Currently, the kids are being taken care of by a distant relative. Their teachers are also doing their share in looking after the kids’ welfare. We have also set up a trust fund for Dizza worth 100,000 pesos which she will get once she is 18 years old.
Dizza, James and JR Venancio were rfeatured in the Iwitness documentary “Batang Balau” aired last June 2015 on GMA7.
- Scholar since 2015
- Grade 7
- •Espana Elementary and National High School Sibuyan, Romblon
- Scholar since 2015
- Grade 5
- •Espana Elementary and National High School Sibuyan, Romblon
- Scholar since 2015
- Grade 6
- •Espana Elementary and National High School Sibuyan, Romblon
