Make Your Summer Warmer by Spending a Day in SOS Children’s Villages Philippines!

Written by Aira Mae Parado

Photos by Kaye Bernal

It’s that time of the year again and I’m sure most of you have already started planning your summer getaways. While the ideal is to spend this warm season chilling by the ocean, you might want to consider a worthwhile activity that’s just as adventurous as going to beaches and hills but with a little more meaning for those involved. This activity I propose, is volunteering for SOS Children’s Villages Philippines and spending a day with its children!

SOS Children’s Village is not your typical childcare center. It is a home for orphaned, abandoned or neglected children, that fosters family bonds and gives the support that these children were deprived of. Now, you might be imagining sad faces of little kids in a humid and crowded center, but this is the opposite. SOS Children’s Village is filled with joyful beings laughing and playing, and natural light and fresh winds flow through its grounds.

If you’re ready to make this your best summer yet, take a look at these heartwarming photos of volunteers mingling with little ones at the village.

ALSO READ: 12 places you can volunteer in Manila

These are the members of Penbrothers, a talent & employment solutions company from Makati, enjoying their day with SOS children and youth.

The Penbrothers team graced the village with their kind hearts, becoming aunties and uncles for these children for a day. Of course, their big boss, Josef Werker, was there, too! In honor of him becoming the new Goodwill Ambassador of the organization, the children embraced and sang him the song, “Welcome to the Family.”

Uncle Josef Werker with the SOS kids.

Josef shared, “Life isn’t supposed to be slow, mundane, and easy. It’s supposed to be tough. My own childhood was full of ups and downs, that’s why I turned out the way I am today.” He put forth the things that their team, Penbrothers, can bring the most value to for SOS. He mentioned finance, employment, and most importantly, love and compassion. 

The Penbrothers team was divided to serve six houses. The houses were named after these virtues: Acceptance, Love, Peace, Understanding, Joy, and Honesty.

Penbrothers team cooking spaghetti for the House of Honesty.

Penbrothers team spreading #peace from the House of Peace.

Honest people from the House of Honesty, ready to eat!

Adorable children leading their friends from Penbrothers to the courtyard to play.

These children remind us of the purpose of life and the importance of simplicity and play.

Now that you have the scoop, I hope Penbrothers inspires you to follow their deed. The summer is long, and you can’t possibly spend each day at the beach. It is great to do something that influences these children’s lives for the better. Imagine looking back at your summer remembering a moment of warmth and compassion. That is absolutely something to be proud of for the rest of your life.

How do you plan to make your summer meaningful? Let us know in the comments! 

Learn more about these organizations by visiting their websites and pages through:

Penbrothers

Website: www.penbrothers.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/penbrothers

Twitter and Instagram: @thepenbrothers

SOS Children’s Villages Philippines

Website: www.sosphilippines.org

Facebook: www.facebook.com/SOSCVPH

Instagram: @sosphilippines