by Sharon Ann Co

September 2010 marked my 7th year of service in Pangarap Shelter for Street Children. Just like that, seven years had already passed.Where did all that time go?

Looking back, I’d have to acknowledge that so many things have happened during those seven years.

I was initially hesitant to accept the part-time job working in an NGO.I just finished my Masters degree in Psychology, but I felt that I did not have enough experience. Was I ready to handle these street children? Was I good enough to fill the position? With these doubts and questions in mind, I took the job anyway, thinking that there is no better way to answer these questions than to plunge right in and give it a try.

I felt right at home in Pangarap Shelter. The staff members were warm and accommodating, while the administration was very approachable and supportive. Then you have the children!We had about 100 male adolescents in Pangarap Shelter, with their ages ranging from 12-20. Most of them are about 14-16 years old, who have experienced one or multiple forms of abuse – physical, sexual, and emotional abuse. In the streets, they were also exposed to various vices such as gambling and substance abuse (sniffing rugby or solvent, marijuana, shabu). I would say that most of the teenagers we had are smart, resilient, and ready to change and make their lives better. Well, some are more ready than others.

Working with street children is no walk in the park. I had my heart broken several times — when an adolescent I was working with suddenly decides to leave the shelter to stay on the streets, when a former resident of the shelter comes back to the shelter looking thin and malnourished, when an adolescent shoplifts from a convenience store. At times, when these adolescents misbehave, I can’t help but think if I’ve done everything I could to help them. Is there something I could have done better to help them make better decisions for them? Continue reading →