The Wild Orchid Philippines Team received 10 “balikbayan boxes” filled with over a thousand books donated by students in the US so that Filipino Elementary Students can enjoy books and foster a love of reading. The Nyora Taling Literacy Program is an agenda named in honor of Wild Orchid’s founder’s Coco Baran’s late grandmother. Nyora Taling was a benefactor to many people, whom she sent to school, and today have careers. One of those individuals, in fact is a teacher at this very school.
In Filipino Public Schools, at this time, English is not introduced until upper level grades so this literacy program is a supplement to provide English skills so that they can have competitive global skills and be ready to pass world academic standards and be ready to continue on to higher education study.
It is of utmost importance that children worldwide have access to a competitive education so that they can have the advantage to pursue any career they strive to have. Breaking the cycle of poverty is contingent on students having the necessary resources and developing the skills needed to work in positions of life sustaining salaries.
Because of the concern and proactivity of US classrooms and school communities; Turning Point Elementary School of Culver City California: https://www.turningpointschool.org/ as our most prominent source of book donations, numerous of Filipino students have the gift of enjoyment, wonder and literary development. Books were gifted to Upland Elementary School to inaugurate a school library. We are all incredibly grateful to Turning Point Elementary School and The Cohen-Ahitov Family for initiating this project.