Psychology students reach out to children in need

Missionaries of Charity

BS Psychology students organized a feeding program at the Missionaries of Charity: Home for Sick and Malnourished Children last January 27, 2020.

Missionaries of Charity functions similarly to a daycare center where malnourished children are being cared for while their parents are at work. During the program, age-appropriate and attention-catching activities were conducted such as storytelling and sing-along sessions which preceded lunch.

“We should always extend our hands to the less fortunate,” Psychology faculty Abbey Alapag shared of her experience as facilitator, “we hope to open the minds of students and professors to see that we are still blessed in many ways.”

For 2nd year student Sora Thea Lepasana, the experience made her realize the indispensable role of parents in a child’s upbringing. She also expressed appreciation for the organization and gratitude for the support it receives. “The charity itself is blessed because of its many donors. Hopefully, other foundations and charitable organizations experience the same.”

The community extension program was a final requirement for the subject Community Health Psychology, which was taken up by both 1st and 2nd year students.

SOS Children’s Village

Similarly, the BS Psychology-Evening Program raised mental health awareness at the SOS Children’s Village last January 30, 2020.

Founded in Austria in 1949, SOS Children’s Villages is a private, non-political, non-denominational international organization that aims to provide family-like care to children in need. In Davao, the largest SOS Children’s Village opened in 1981 and is currently home to over 60 children.

Upon arriving at the venue, all 24 of PWC’s participants underwent an orientation led by the organization’s facilitators. They were also given the chance to observe the nature of the

children and learn about the latter’s lifestyle through a friendly interview. They then proceeded to conduct activities and delivered a talk on mental health. 42 children were present and actively took part in the sessions.

2nd year student Ivy Anto was in awe of the positivity emanating from the shelter. “They were happy and active,” she observed, “they clearly felt at home.” The Village definitely lived up to its commitment to providing a true family—for instance, the organization has assigned one “mother” for every 5 children, making sure that the children attain a sense of belonging and experience motherly care.

“The youth also willingly spoke of their challenges and how they coped up,” Anto further shared, “I was amazed at how they could transform their different experiences with creative power towards finding a sense of hope.

It made me realize that regardless of what you’ve been through, what matters most is how you interpret your experiences in relation to your goals.”

BS Psychology is among PWC’s newest courses launched in 2018, which envisions to produce graduates who stand out in the field by being practitioners that actively respond to the needs of the community. [Click here to learn about BS Psychology.]

RCM