Rizza lives with her father and her mother. She is responsible for carrying water, washing clothes and helping in the kitchen. Her father is sometimes employed and her mother is sometimes employed as a laborer. There are 4 children in the family.
For fun, Rizza enjoys telling stories, playing house and art. She attends church activities regularly and is in primary school where her performance is above average.
Your love and support will help Rizza to receive the assistance she needs to develop her potential. Please pray for her.
Rizza lives in one of the coastal communities of Campesao, Baybay1, Bato, Baras, Brgy H, Brgy G, Calingatngan, Songco or Sabang, home to approximately 17,900 residents. Typical houses are constructed of bamboo, wood or cement floors, wood or block walls and thatched roofs.
The regional diet consists of beans, bananas, fish, cassava, sweet potatoes and vegetables. Common health problems in this area include acute respiratory infections, pneumonia, parasites, diarrhea and malnutrition. Most adults are unemployed but some work as day laborers, farmers, carpenters or fishermen and earn the equivalent of $89 per month. These communities need employment opportunities and strict enforcement of environmental conservation laws.
Your sponsorship allows the staff of Agape Child Center to provide Rizza with Bible studies, health education, immunizations and vaccinations, medical and dental check-ups, leadership training, music and arts workshops, field trips, school fees and school supplies.
North to south, 7,107 islands spread over 1,150 miles in the western Pacific Ocean to make up the country of the Philippines. About 95 percent of the population lives on the 11 largest islands. In the tropical lowlands, the climate is usually hot, humid and rainy.
The Philippines was once the most developed country in Asia following World War II but has lagged behind other countries because of poor economic growth and corruption. Spain and the United States, both colonizers of the country, have been the biggest influences on Philippine culture; a unique blend of Asia and the West. The country has two official languages: Filipino (based on Tagalog) and English. Eighty-three percent of the country is Catholic.
For centuries, the Philippine islands have been the crossroads of many cultures, including the Middle East, India and China, which all came to trade. In 1521, Spaniard Ferdinand Magellan reached the islands and Spain ruled them until 1898. The Philippines were ceded by Spain to the United States in 1898 following the Spanish-American War. They attained independence in 1946 after Japanese occupation in World War II. In 1965, the country came under the rule of dictator Ferdinand Marcos. Widespread corruption and political mismanagement marred the Marcos regime. In 1986, a bloodless revolution forced Marcos into exile. In 1992, the U.S. closed its last military bases on the islands. In 2010, Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III became the 15th president of the Philippines. He is the son of the former senator Benigno "Ninoy" Aquino Jr. and former president Corazon Aquino, who was the 11th president of the country. The government continues to struggle with Muslim insurgencies in the south.
Map of Philippines
Child's Location: East of Calbayog City
