Kaibigan Ministry of the Center for Continuing Transformation Inc. has won the 4th Adamson University’s St. Vincent de Paul National Award.
The award “honors organizations, regardless of sociopolitical-religious affiliation and orientation, which have not only promoted effective and concrete short- and long-term solutions to poverty, but also, and most importantly, uplifted the dignity and empowered the poor and their community.”
This year’s awards coincided with the quadricentennial of the charism of St. Vincent, founder of the Congregation of the Mission (CM), also called the Vincentian Fathers and Brothers, the religious order that runs Adamson University.
Previous awardees include Katilingbanong Pamahandi sa Mindanao Foundation Inc. (2010); Alay Kapwa Inc. (2013); and Katipunan ng Magbubukid sa Hacienda Roxas Inc. of Batangas (2014).
Other finalists this year are Bahay Tuluyan of Metro Manila, Quezon and Laguna; Bilibid Extension Program of the University of Perpetual Help System Dalta; Ecological Solid Waste Management Program of Barangay Dalig in Antipolo City; Project Inclusion of Unilab Foundation Inc.; and Samahan ng Maliliit na Mangingisda sa Dagupan City of Barangay Pugaro.
The winner is chosen for its program’s “sustainability, long-range impact, replicability, innovation, collaboration and cultural impact which brought systematic change in their communities.”
Feeding program
Started in 1998 as a feeding program for scavengers outside its office in Manila, Kaibigan Ministry expanded into the rehabilitation of street dwellers by providing them job trainings and employment.
Its ministry also expanded to other places in Metro Manila, such as Pasay and Quezon City, and in Cabanatuan City, Nueva Ecija, where it is holding a housing project for street dwellers.
The awarding ceremony was held at the Art Deco Adamson University Theater, the former St. Theresa Theater of St. Theresa’s College, the original owner of the property straddling San Marcelino and Romualdez Streets in Manila before it was bought by Adamson in 1977.—CONTRIBUTED
