Target partners with AHON for public schools

Posted by Herbel Santiago on 13 July 2011 | 1 Comments

Tags: libraries, donation, literacy, public schools

Manila Bulletin
February 6, 2011, 11:27am

MANILA, Philippines – Heralding the new year, AHON (Acts of Hope for the Nation) Foundation adopted yet another public school library that will benefit more than a thousand elementary school students.

AHON Foundation inaugurated its 40th school library at Ponciano Bernardo Elementary School in Quezon City last January 19, 2011, to the delight of the schoolchildren, parents, and faculty.

Target, one of the biggest retailing companies in the United States of America, shares in the vision of AHON Foundation as it generously gave a grant of US$5, 40 or approximately Php 225,000.

Although they do not have a branch here in the Philippines, Target has a sourcing services operation in the country that looks for innovative Filipino products that they can export and sell in all their stores. The grant is in line with their corporation's social responsibility program which aims to help more children learn how to read.

Joselle Buencamino, one of the representatives of Target, said: “Target has been supporting people by selling quality merchandise, but the company is also involved in charity and community-giving. We are not satisfied in ensuring the peace and order of the community in the US, we decided to extend our help to the Philippines.

Since 2003, we had been supporting several very select, qualified organizations through local grant making. Target, like AHON Foundation, supports education. Quality education for every Filipino child is a current need of our community.”

Like Target, AHON Foundation is the corporate social responsibility program of Filway Marketing Inc, the sole distributor of Time Life books in the Philippines. Being in the book business for a long time now, Filway also shares the fruits of their success to the underprivileged by giving them access to quality books.

The principal of the school, Maricris Suarez-Santos, said, “We had been wanting to improve our library but given the lack of funds, we don’t know how we could do that. The angel came when the division office called and said that they had recommended the school to be a partner and beneficiary school of AHON Foundation. The library we have are for older school children and there were very few books catering to the young learners. We strived to meet the requirements set by AHON and we are happy to inaugurate the newest AHON Library”.

The new library which was refurbished through the efforts of volunteers, teachers, students and parents boast of several low shelves, chairs and tables that would ensure the small school children would have no problem getting the reference books. Colorful murals also decorate the wall to entice them to spend time in the library reading and learning.

Mario S. Domingo, the GPTA president, told students: “Sana hindi maging monumento or ornamento lang ang library, kundi maging behikulo para sa karunungan ng kabataan. Love knowledge because knowledge will cloak you. Bumili ka ng libro at iyon ang gamitin mong pamasahe para makaahon ka sa buhay. Education is the solution to poverty. Poverty breeds all kinds of social evils. Now, all of you will be triumphant because meron na kayong katulong.”

Valerie Valeña, vice-president of Filway Marketing, Inc, and Harvey Keh, executive director and president of Ahon Foundation, are also present in the said event.

Like Target, you can also partner with us in bringing more books and learning materials to public elementary school libraries.

For more information, please contact us at (+63-2) 545 5249 or send us an e-mail at ahonfoundation@yahoo.com.