Alessio cycled from Italy to Asia before arriving in the Philippines and joining Carla, his girlfriend, who has just completed her civil service at the family home on Isla ng Bata – L’isola dei bambini. His ride was an opportunity to launch a major fundraising campaign on GoFundMe, Isla ChiCa, which is allowing us to find resources to invest in our projects.
After nine months of cycling from Italy, I finally arrived in the Philippines.
Landed in Cebu I cycled for another 150 kilometers and took a ferry to reach the port of Dumaguete where a very pleasant surprise awaited me. Carla, Francesco and some girls from the Isla ng Bata Family Home were there waiting for me with open arms. It was exciting to embrace Carla again – volunteer from Isla and Alessio’s partner – after such a long time.
It was really easy to settle in Family Home, a little more difficult to remember all the names! Among workers, cooks, housemothers, girls, office workers, dogs, cats and carabau, the tribe has more than forty people!
I really like spending my days here because there is so much to do and it never gets boring. You can spend time with the girls, from the youngest of a few months to the older ones. There is a lot to do in the garden with all the projects that are being worked on: the dragon fruits, the chicken coop, the bees…
This month I also had the chance to visit the Philippines. Charming places such as Palawan, Siqujior and other places near the Family Home.
I am very happy to be here, to have had this experience and to have chosen Isla Ng Bata as an association to which to donate the money that, together with Carla, we are collecting through our campaign. Funds that are really needed to meet the countless expenses that this large family has to bear every day.
I thank all the people who dedicate time and energy to make this beautiful activity work and who allow the girls of Isla to have a better future than they should have faced.
