A Chair is not a Chair

I posted a few weeks back for some good hearts to help with the much needed children's chairs for very poor kids in Sooc Arevalo Illoilo City. It yielded help from a very far away land from Paris, France much as I thought help will come from around the local neighborhood only.Paris is special to me though as I used to work there in a lifestyle showroom and doing shows and exhibitions--but I never thought at this time, Paris will remember me through a helpful someone after all these years.

Sooc is where I have poured my time for the past year after moving from Manila to Iloilo City--after following my conviction that as a designer I want my substance in the social design category and go back to serve my hometown--away from the maddening glamour of Manila after 30 years. The community is near the Iloilo dumpsite where life was so distraught until we introduced Project Zero, a livelihood program I authored, where we trained women to stitch used tarps and made them into fashion bags.

My eyes were opened up to help beyond the women as I see so many children who were desperate. I own a heritage restaurant in the city which raises some money from our sales to feed the kids through a program called Food For Sure ( Food for Responsibility and Sustainability.)  But it did not stop there, they needed comfortable chairs when they go to school this June. I was determined to find some means I could be of help.

God is good. My prayers were answered. From Paris with love, indeed. Thank you.

( Project Zero is a partnership program of Smart Telecommunications, Philippine Business for Social Progress, GK Sooc, GKonomics, Sooc Social Ventures, Nautilus PJ Aranador and Business Fair Trade Consulting. ( http://www.santarosa.ph/ProjectZero.html)