Blogging for Bunso Jessa's mom

Pictured here is Bunso Jessa's mom. Bunso Jessa is a World Sisters United Director living in a squatters village in Manila, Philippines. Her mom has been having blackouts for over a year now and has been advised by the doctors to get a cat scan to find out what is causing the blackouts. This woman has an important role to play as she has eleven children to take care of. She is an amazingly friendly and kind person. I meet her whenever I go to the Philippines for production workshops and our World Sisters United nomadic summits where we go to each of our 8 chapters and teach how to make documentary films and learn ways to better our lives. So please send a dollar now to help us fund a cat scan for this great soul who deserves to see her family grow up. We are also trying to help build out this families house, which is the most pathetic house I have seen where 13 people live. Please help us now. The cat scan costs 6000 peso. (US$140). Please give as much as you can. She had a blackout just yesterday so this is an urgent request. Please contact me at larriji@gmail.com for further information. Or if you are a medical practitioner in Manila who can help. Thank you and God Bless.

Please help us to raise the funds for a cat scan now!

This donate link above will take you to paypal where you can pay with your paypal account or use a credit card. Your gift will go directly to our WSU paypal account where it will then go to the recipient via XOOM, Western Union or by direct handoff. These services (including Paypal) charge a fee but there is no other operations fees that takes away from your gift. Our paypal account is managed by our Philippines treasurer Kaye Malibiran. Please note : World Sisters United is not yet a legal 501C3 non-profit - so your gifts are not tax deductable. The good news is that we are close to having the articles of incorporation and IRS forms ready to process. We should be a legal registered non-profit by the end of 2008

Blogging for Bunso Lita's CR in Samar

It's hard to really see what this is especially if you live in an industrialized nation that is materially endowed. In the Philippines this is called a "CR" or comfort room. But we would know it as a bathroom. This particular bathroom is at the home of one of World Sisters United Directors Bunso Lita, who lives on the island of Samar. For those familiar with the USA's history of intertwining with the Philippines you will remember the important role the island of Samar played. This is the island where the USA lost a key battle when we were at war with the Philippines. (This is something our history books seem to over look.) Also the place Leyte is near Samar. Leyte is where Gen Douglas MacArthur made his famous return there on the shores of the beach where that famous photo was taken. The people of Samar are descended from a spirited and independent meltdown of several tribes that were mostly fishermen. Today Samar is off the main beaten path for tourism but does draw an occasional surfer or naturalist interested in the lovely waterfalls and tropical foliage. The main problem with Samar today is simply there is little money making opportunities and therefore it has a very low standard of living (by western standards). This CR pictured here is the bathroom for a large extended family. The one bucket serves as a toilets and the other holds your shower water. We are trying to raise up the standard of living for our World Sisters United Directors. So we seek 5000 peso (US$120) to renovate this bathroom and put in some proper fixtures. Please contribute any amount you can and help us to turn this hole into an actual bathroom. Please contact me for more details at larriji@gmail.com.

Give a dollar and help to add some comforts to this comfort room in Samar!

This donate link above will take you to paypal where you can pay with your paypal account or use a credit card. Your gift will go directly to our WSU paypal account where it will then go to the recipient via XOOM, Western Union or by direct handoff. These services (including Paypal) charge a fee but there is no other operations fees that takes away from your gift. Our paypal account is managed by our Philippines treasurer Kaye Malibiran. Please note : World Sisters United is not yet a legal 501C3 non-profit - so your gifts are not tax deductable. The good news is that we are close to having the articles of incorporation and IRS forms ready to process. We should be a legal registered non-profit by the end of 2008

Major push to get Glen Coronary Angiogram

Glen is finally seeing the light at the end of the tunnel! Ate Anna has made an amazing push to raise the funds to get Glen his much needed coronary angiogram. All we need to raise is US$338 and he will be in Manila within a day at a highly acclaimed heart clinic. This is really very encouraging. Please help Glen now. Even a dollar helps. Just click the "donate" button to direct deposit into the World Sisters United Filipino bank account. Our Treasurer Kaye Malibiran will then expedite the money immediately after it clears and hand it off to Ate Anna for the medical bills. We will be doing daily updates on Glen's progress. Help now! Thank you and God bless! Here is the latest email from Ate Anna about the recent donation drive:

hi kuya this pix i send it to u is the some people donate and help me to raise money for glen coronary angiogram.. is this 1st pix is marygrace she live at marisol angeles city i tell that we need money for glen in his coronary angiogram and she help me 1k.. the other 1 pix the short hair dress a daster she is my best friend name gay concepcion is friend of mine everytime glen in hosapital she visit and give vetables and fruits she always help in a little things but now she donate me 2k..and my kuya arnold also give me 2k and the one pix is romnick father is name dave quiambao he give also 1k and the last pix is name ferdinand is a bussiness man he donate 4k.. the others donate 5h, 2h.1h..thats why i fine money and all i money i have now is 26k so i need kuya 14k.. bec my auncle is not there.. so maybe i go back later if he donate also.. bec he said he give 2k but is not there.. all i ask help to u kuya is 14k so complete the 40k to do the angiogram of glen..help us kuya maybe the 2k give my auncle is for the transfortation we can use and for foods for go to manila in heart center..i need it soon kuya the 14k.. plsssss.. just that money to complete the money.. so we knows what glen problems and if have a good operation for him.. how wish all this is finish very soon and glen is become normal again.. i pray alot and wish.. thank u to all people give future again for glen.. tnx alot.. and kuya thank u.. may god bless us..

These are just a few of the friends, family and neighbors of Ate Anna who have donated all totalled now 26,000 peso (US$628). We still need 14,000 pesos (US$338) to pay for the coronary angiogram.

This is very exciting that we are at a point where the possibility of getting Glen the treatment he needs. It's been a long struggle for Glen and Ate Anna. For over a year Glen has suffered.

Please give a dollar to help Glen!

This donate link above will take you to paypal where you can pay with your paypal account or use a credit card. Your gift will go directly to our WSU paypal account where it will then go to the recipient via XOOM, Western Union or by direct handoff. These services (including Paypal) charge a fee but there is no other operations fees that takes away from your gift. Our paypal account is managed by our Philippines treasurer Kaye Malibiran. Please note : World Sisters United is not yet a legal 501C3 non-profit - so your gifts are not tax deductable. The good news is that we are close to having the articles of incorporation and IRS forms ready to process. We should be a legal registered non-profit by the end of 2008

Glen back in hospital for another draining

Pictured here is Glen back in the hospital again. For those of you that have been following this story you have seen the plight of Glen, a 30 yr old in Angeles City, Philippines, who has been struggling with his liver and kidneys failing. The doctors in Manila said that the cause is his heart. But there is not the funds to go to the next step of conducting an angiogram to determine what is wrong with his heart. Each draining has been costing upwards to US$150 and these drainings are necessarry every two weeks. So the situation is bankrupting and already poor family. Glen's girl friend, Ate Anna, has gotten PHILHEALTH now so that will reduce some of the hospital bills by 50%. So the situation has improved greatly with that. The angiogram will cost US$1000. And even that will only determine the needed heart operation. So the situation is grave. We need your help now.

Pictured here is Glen with his son. Glen's will to live is very strong, as you can imagine, motivated by the desire to be there for is son. We have received almost US$400 for Glen's cause which has probably saved his life as his condition becomes dire when the toxins build up in his body. Please give whatever you can to help Glen with his ongoing medical costs. Even a dollar will help.

Give a dollar to help Glen now!

This donate link above will take you to paypal where you can pay with your paypal account or use a credit card. Your gift will go directly to our WSU paypal account where it will then go to the recipient via XOOM, Western Union or by direct handoff. These services (including Paypal) charge a fee but there is no other operations fees that takes away from your gift. Our paypal account is managed by our Philippines treasurer Kaye Malibiran. Please note : World Sisters United is not yet a legal 501C3 non-profit - so your gifts are not tax deductable. The good news is that we are close to having the articles of incorporation and IRS forms ready to process. We should be a legal registered non-profit by the end of 2008

Baby CJ has no milk - infant is on water diet!

World Sisters United is made up of many young mothers and 8 infants at this time! Baby CJ (pictured here) is son of WSU director Raine of Pangasinan. CJ's father works but only makes 2 dollars a day in his construction job. So this is not a case of dead-beat dad not doing the right thing. This is just how hard life is to get by living in the Philippines when trying to make an honest living. Please give whatever you can spare for baby CJ. We will hopefully be posting pictures of CJ drinking formula if we can rally up the funds. Please email me at larriji@gmail.com for any questions. Thankyou and Godbless!

Here is Raine with her baby at her house in Pangasinan, Philippines.

Give a dollar to help buy this baby some formula!

This donate link above will take you to paypal where you can pay with your paypal account or use a credit card. Your gift will go directly to our WSU paypal account where it will then go to the recipient via XOOM, Western Union or by direct handoff. These services (including Paypal) charge a fee but there is no other operations fees that takes away from your gift. Our paypal account is managed by our Philippines treasurer Kaye Malibiran. Please note : World Sisters United is not yet a legal 501C3 non-profit - so your gifts are not tax deductable. The good news is that we are close to having the articles of incorporation and IRS forms ready to process. We should be a legal registered non-profit by the end of 2008

Formula arrives for baby Nicole!

Pictured here is baby Nicole who lives in Angeles City, Philippines. Born to a family without the budget to supply baby formula. This blog shows the cause and effect of peer-to-peer giving. Sean of Northern California sent in 20 dollars to help baby Nicole's parents buy baby formula. And within a day here is the baby (pictured below) enjoying the fruits of Sean's gift. This to me shows how this technology available today can really make a positive difference in people's lives. Thankyou Sean! Baby Nicole, no doubt, is thankful as seen in her look of blissful contentment as she drinks baby formula. We have several other babies we are sponsoring and trying to raise funds for formula and doctor visits etc. Please give to help these babies have a healthy start in life! Contact me at larriji@gmail.com for more info. To donate just click the donate button link and that will send your money direct to World Sisters United bank in the Philippines. We will then quickly expadite the money to the party in need. Please specifiy if there is a certain person you wish to help out here in this blog. Thanks! L

Be a hero!

Give a dollar to help this baby and others like her.

This donate link above will take you to paypal where you can pay with your paypal account or use a credit card. Your gift will go directly to our WSU paypal account where it will then go to the recipient via XOOM, Western Union or by direct handoff. These services (including Paypal) charge a fee but there is no other operations fees that takes away from your gift. Our paypal account is managed by our Philippines treasurer Kaye Malibiran. Please note : World Sisters United is not yet a legal 501C3 non-profit - so your gifts are not tax deductable. The good news is that we are close to having the articles of incorporation and IRS forms ready to process. We should be a legal registered non-profit by the end of 2008

Blogging for baby Ashley

This baby needs money for formula. Her mother has resorted to feeding her powdered milk or sugar water. This is what happens when mothers in the third world have babies who won't breast feed and they don't have money for formula. It stunts growth and really does lesson the potential for the child as they don't get the needed nutrients. I was quite shocked to see how many babies dont breast feed in the Philippines. They don't accept the practice of wet nurses and what happens is the babies just go with very little nutritional food input until they can take solid food. This is really a sad situation. Please send your dollars now to help baby Ashley.

Won't you give a dollar to help this baby?

The follow up story will hopefully show a happy baby drinking a bottle of formula.

This donate link above will take you to paypal where you can pay with your paypal account or use a credit card. Your gift will go directly to our WSU paypal account where it will then go to the recipient via XOOM, Western Union or by direct handoff. These services (including Paypal) charge a fee but there is no other operations fees that takes away from your gift. Our paypal account is managed by our Philippines treasurer Kaye Malibiran. Please note : World Sisters United is not yet a legal 501C3 non-profit - so your gifts are not tax deductable. The good news is that we are close to having the articles of incorporation and IRS forms ready to process. We should be a legal registered non-profit by the end of 2008

Lola Veronica desperately needs your help...

Our World Sisters United Director in Malasqui, Vangie, featured in the blog just before this, has also been suffering the painful deterioration of her grandmother Lola Veronica. Pictured here is some very difficult photos to look at. This is Lola Veronica, who was featured in some earlier blogs here on this site. She has deteriorated quite a bit. She was diagnosed with throat cancer but doesn't have the money for treatment. Living in the Philippines is rough if you have no money. There is no health care or general hospitals people can go to. We have tried to raise $250 dollars for the next level of treatment that could possibly fight the cancer but it seems that it is too late at this point. She does not eat much now.
Shown here is Vangie comforting her grandmother. Vangie asked me a couple of days ago for money to buy adult diapers. She said that at this point all that can be done is to give her diapers to help her stay in some comfort. As well the medicine seems to help a great deal to give her an appetite. So we are begging all of you out there to help Lola Veronica out in her last days.
Vangie will need to keep these diapers in stock and to purchase more medicine. The cost for a week of diapers is about 10 dollars. The medicine cost is about twice that for a week. Please send whatever you can. Just a dollar or two donation will do an amazing service to help this kind elderly lady living in a nipa hut in Malasqui who is just trying to be as comfortable as she can in her last days.
Please pray for Lola Veronica and please send her anything you can spare to help her buy more diapers and medicine. Your money will go direct to her cause.

Please give a dollar to to help Lola Veronica!

Give now!

This donate link above will take you to paypal where you can pay with your paypal account or use a credit card. Your gift will go directly to our WSU paypal account where it will then go to the recipient via XOOM, Western Union or by direct handoff. These services (including Paypal) charge a fee but there is no other operations fees that takes away from your gift. Our paypal account is managed by our Philippines treasurer Kaye Malibiran. Please note : World Sisters United is not yet a legal 501C3 non-profit - so your gifts are not tax deductable. The good news is that we are close to having the articles of incorporation and IRS forms ready to process. We should be a legal registered non-profit by the end of 2008

Ampalaya crop is under progress

Pictured here is World Sisters United Director Vangie who is standing in the first WSU rice field's first harvest. This 2.5 hectacre farm in Malasqui Philippines is now being transformed into an ampalaya field. This has been an exciting and successful adventure as we can practically feed a small village with this single small farm. We rotate crops from rice to corn to ampalaya. (check out my previous blog: http://larriji.blogspot.com/2008/02/small-short-term-loan-sought-for-bunso.html) We have struggled to raise the money to build up the ampalaya vine frames and to buy the seeds. I was able to sell a piece of video gear to help get the farm set up. Pictured below is preparations for the ground. We rented the tractor that is mixing and breaking the soil up.

Pictured here below is the bamboo poles I paid 11,500 peso for. These we can reuse from season to season for at least 3 years. So this is a depreciable capitol expense that saves us a bit over the next few seasons.
Pictured below is the Vangie's father managing the setup of the bamboo into frames for the Ampalaya vine.

Pictured here below is where you can see the use of blue string being tied up to allow the vine to grow on it. The cost of labor 5000 peso (us$120).

The cost of the blue string to cover this 2.5 hectacres was 2000 peso (us$50). The really shocking cost was the seeds that set me back $14,000 peso (us$ 340)


So the next picture shows how amazing mother nature is. The warm air, hot sun and pumped in well water has produced an amazing vine in a very short time.


The total yeild for this crop is estimated to yeild 49K peso. (Which is about us$1179) This amount is enough to provide 50% of the income for this very large extended family of Vangie's seen below living in this small nipa compound near Pangasinan.

Please give a dollar to pitch in to help us to complete the harvest for this Ampalaya farm.

We still need to raise 350 dollars for fertilizer and natural organic pesticide.

This donate link above will take you to paypal where you can pay with your paypal account or use a credit card. Your gift will go directly to our WSU paypal account where it will then go to the recipient via XOOM, Western Union or by direct handoff. These services (including Paypal) charge a fee but there is no other operations fees that takes away from your gift. Our paypal account is managed by our Philippines treasurer Kaye Malibiran. Please note : World Sisters United is not yet a legal 501C3 non-profit - so your gifts are not tax deductable. The good news is that we are close to having the articles of incorporation and IRS forms ready to process. We should be a legal registered non-profit by the end of 2008

Ate gets PHILHEALTH setup....

I was very fortunate to sell a piece of gear on ebay. I sold my SONY DSR-45P. An amazing PRO DVCam that I used in my studio where I work on documentaries. It was hard to sell the deck but it is serving a different purpose now. The person buying it has no idea the benefit others will be recieving as a result of this sale. Read here to catch just one immediate beneficial results Ate Anna is recieving from this:

hi kuya.. hello...kuya i just wanna say thank u bec my philhealth is already cridit now we can use any time soon kuya.. thank u so much.. u know kuya is really hard for me always in hospital and have some one love is really seriuos sickness really hard and hurt of mine.. the truth im really shy to u kuya that i always asking help to u.. but i dont have choice bec here. just only once give help.. then 2nd time is nothing.. sorry but pls understand me kuya.. sorry i never thinking u have a tree of money.. u know kuya when u telling me like that im hurt so much and if u see me in person i need to cover my face:( bec. im really shy.. but i dont have choice to tell to u what i have problems, but i tought in my self im being crazy..:((..im hurt and shy to u always. but still to face it what i need to do..sorry kuya.. but i really need u so many times.. most of all not for my own self is glen sick.. just for him..:( pls understand me.. and plss dont give up to help me bec is not my own needs all u help me right know everything have something to in porpouse..thank u so much. and we love you.. plssssssss kuya understand me and dont give up to us.. and dont get mad at me.. im really sorry but is hurt for me too kuya.. may god pay all this.. and god love us.. tc always kuya cost i care alot for u..bec we love u so much.. your big big part of my whole life..thank u so much.. and sorry too.. love u. tnx 4 everything..pls dont give up.. and help me for glen.. plsssssss thank u..:(

Please give a dollar to pitch in to help Ate Anna with raising money for Glen

This donate link above will take you to paypal where you can pay with your paypal account or use a credit card. Your gift will go directly to our WSU paypal account where it will then go to the recipient via XOOM, Western Union or by direct handoff. These services (including Paypal) charge a fee but there is no other operations fees that takes away from your gift. Our paypal account is managed by our Philippines treasurer Kaye Malibiran. Please note : World Sisters United is not yet a legal 501C3 non-profit - so your gifts are not tax deductable. The good news is that we are close to having the articles of incorporation and IRS forms ready to process. We should be a legal registered non-profit by the end of 2008

Ate Anna explains about PHILHEALTH

Pictured here in the middle is Ate Anna with her sister and neice in Angeles City, Philippines. Faced with overwhelming obstacles Ate Anna struggles to pay huge medical bills for her boy friend Glen. Below is an email where she explains how she needs money to get a birth certificate so she can get PHILHEALTH which is a Philippines Government service where you can get 50% reduction on medical bills.

hello gud pm to u kuya.. how r u..i hope ur sleep well..kuya u know how mush apreciate all the things u give to me.. i really thank god really thank to the people why i meet you and of coures to god plans.. thank u for all the blessings and the advice and all the talents and all something u teach me.. thank u so much.. and i know u understand what i have now in my life.. i have big problems about glen sickness:((.. do u understand what happen to me and glen family..this time im really sick and tired and hard to fine always money for his drain in hospital.. i told u i get PHILHEALTH yea i have it now.. i can use it any time in hospital so the bills have 5o% discount.. but????kuya i need to submit my bertcertificate so we can use my PHILHEALTH,,,but u now the problems of my B.C.is mistake on my bday and my middle initial is mistake.. so i need to submit my B.C.in philhealth.. the problems i dont have my B.C. U GIVE me lately 3k for my motor u told me just a barrow.. kuya yes is barrow after all my crises i pay back just a promise i know someday god plans i have enough money to pay back top u and help others..:) yes is my dreams come true i know it kuya..so kuya i need ur help again barrow me just 7k so i can get my B.C. SOON SO I CAN SUBMIT IN PHILHEALTH bec any time soon glen need to drain again and go to hospital bec of his stomack again is big again..:((.. :( and he is craying all nyt bec is hurt..plss barrow me aGAIN 7K KUYA promise is barrow and i cannot foget that i hve so many barrow to u.. and i pay it if time i have it..:( pls kuya reply me for this i need ur respond as soon. is a seriouse matter for my B.C. GET.. PLS HOPE U UNDERSTAND ME.. THANK U AND MAY GOD BLESS U ALL THE TIME AND HELP U TOO FOR ALL THIS.. WE LOVE U SO MUCH KUYA PLSOFFLINEME..TC KUYA LOVE U..

Please give a dollar to pitch in to help Ate Anna get her birth certificate so she can get PHILHEALTH

This donate link above will take you to paypal where you can pay with your paypal account or use a credit card. Your gift will go directly to our WSU paypal account where it will then go to the recipient via XOOM, Western Union or by direct handoff. These services (including Paypal) charge a fee but there is no other operations fees that takes away from your gift. Our paypal account is managed by our Philippines treasurer Kaye Malibiran. Please note : World Sisters United is not yet a legal 501C3 non-profit - so your gifts are not tax deductable. The good news is that we are close to having the articles of incorporation and IRS forms ready to process. We should be a legal registered non-profit by the end of 2008

Ate Anna now has no electricity..

Here is a recent email from Ate Anna explaining her hardships resulting from all the medical bills she is struggling with for Glen. She has no electricity now.

hi kuya,,,
hello kuya. how r u.. ohh im so sad i cant chat in my house bec no electricity.. just only one liaghts connect for my naighbor. thats why i can use my computer.. waaaaaaaaso sad.. thats why glen and his mom i told to them to go home in mexico for awhile bec glen is not good to him dont have electricfan..waaaaaaaa
so sad dont have electricity kuya is big sacrifice to me and glen situation is not good really bad.. but dont have money..is really hurt and pain to me all this my motor i pay monthly befor is my oun title.. and is really hard for mr that my motor is pawn then i pay also interest waaaaaaaaaa.. is big sacrifice of mine.. untill when all this sacrifice kuya.. pls help us.. i dont what and when i started again for all this problem..help us..i need to pay my electric bills is 2,400pesos.. and i need to pay my motor interest is pawn is 3k.. waaaaaaai dont know what will ido.. give me strenght kuya and help me i dont know what? will i do.. love u. god bless tc always.

Please give a dollar to pitch in for Glen

Many Thanks!

This donate link above will take you to paypal where you can pay with your paypal account or use a credit card. Your gift will go directly to our WSU paypal account where it will then go to the recipient via XOOM, Western Union or by direct handoff. These services (including Paypal) charge a fee but there is no other operations fees that takes away from your gift. Our paypal account is managed by our Philippines treasurer Kaye Malibiran. Please note : World Sisters United is not yet a legal 501C3 non-profit - so your gifts are not tax deductable. The good news is that we are close to having the articles of incorporation and IRS forms ready to process. We should be a legal registered non-profit by the end of 2008