Many of us look fondly upon childhood as a time of wonder and joy. Children are naturally full of excitement as they explore and learn about the world. It can be difficult to imagine that time of innocence being cut short by neglect and abuse. 

However, the sad reality is that many children around the world do not experience the joy and excitement of childhood. In the Philippines, large numbers of children are forced to live on the streets, abandoned and neglected by their families, and doing whatever they can to survive. These young children have suffered tremendously in their short lives.

To help raise awareness about the suffering faced by millions of children in the Philippines, MercyWorks has developed a new informational resource that we invite you to explore and share — Working Toward Freedom, Belonging, and Healing: Children’s Well-being in the Philippines. 

A Look Inside the Resource

With the rising cost of food, high inflation rates, and widespread poverty — many children are sold into slavery by their own families or relatives, kidnapped and forced into these lifestyles, or seek out the work as an evil necessary to feed and clothe themselves.

This resource will share:

• Information on the current state of well-being for millions of Filipino children.
• Quick facts on child poverty and neglect in the region.
• A look at the horrific truth about child slavery in the Philippines.
• A snapshot of the work being done to rescue and reunite children with their families.
• Ways that you can help and support the Sunflower Center.

Making Restoration a Reality

Through the initiative of MercyWorks, the Sunflower Center is a ministry dedicated to ending child abuse, neglect, and slavery in the Philippines. The Sunflower Center works to restore children to their families, offers therapeutic intervention to help the children heal from trauma, and trains families and social workers to help children cope with difficult circumstances. 

The goal of MercyWorks is to grow the mission of the Sunflower Center and continue to build our care-giving capacity in order to serve more children in need. You can help us raise awareness and achieve these goals by learning about the current state of children’s well-being in the Philippines, sharing the information with your friends and community, praying for the families affected, and by making a financial contribution to ensure the longevity of the program. 

Download the informational resource to learn about the state of children’s well-being in the Philippines, and find out how you can help!