Aloha House is a non-stock, non-profit, charitable mission serving the community of Palawan and the nation of the Philippines, fully licensed by the DSWD as a Child Caring Agency, Child Placing Agency and Community Serving Agency under License No. 01-IV-022. In February of 2002, Aloha House passed a technical and functional inspection and was Accredited with the Bureau of Standards.

Historical Background

Aloha House started as a ministry base for Keith Mikkelson in July of 1998. He moved to the Philippines in May of 1998 to help the children of Palawan rise above the tough living environment in this last frontier of the Philippines. He has made trips to the Philippines in 1995, 1996 and 1997 previous to his move here. His first trip was with a team from Hope Chapel, Maui, where he saw God at work in the local church. He visited local churches that exposed him to the needs of the indigent community, some of which resided in squatter areas and tribal groups. He also visited orphanages in Luzon and Negros of the Philippines and also in Japan. Many times he met people with sad stories about the living conditions and parents who where not able to cope. He was able to share the gospel that brought hope to those he saw. He worked with "Pastors" as well as other church members. Keith is a strong believer in the equiping of every saint for God's service regardless of techincal training or clergy designation. He does not see any of Jesus Christ's body as "laymen". All are called into ministry where ever they are and where ever they choose to go in God's soverign plan.

While meeting with Leonila Mojal, Social Worker, City Social Welfare and Development (CSWD) of Puerto Princesa City, who is also a licensed Foster Parent, he was given the vision of starting a home that could help these children in some way. She already has two foster children. She is raising a tribal boy (Joshua) whose mother died upon giving birth to him. The DSWD has placed another foster child with Ms. Mojal, Jas, a foundling who was thrown in the trash after his birth. Mrs. Yulo, City Social Welfare and Development Officer, CSWD, was also very supportive and offered valuable information.

After much research he moved to Puerto Princesa City to start networking with various Christian groups and social workers. There was a lot of interest and support in the Christian community. So on May 11th, 1999 a Board of Directors was formed to incorporate the name of Aloha House as a non-stock, non-profit, Non Government Organization (NGO). The Securities and Exchange Commission in the Philippines issued a Certificate of Incorporation, Reg. No. A199906202 for Aloha House Inc. The board meets quarterly to discuss the needs of the children and Organization.

As a step of preparation, Keith and Narcy Mikkelson became licensed Foster care parents in June of 1999 by the DSWD (License No. 00-134). Arlene Panes, Social Welfare Officer II, Region 4, helped manage the cases in their care from her Department. Keith and Narcy have taken in various children with diverse needs. They have foster parented infants in crisis and children abandoned by their parents. They have also cared for sexually abused girls and pregnant women in crisis. They trained a staff of women who are good at working with children. They also hired a full time licensed Social Worker, Cristina Velasco in February 2000. They are consulting the DSWD and CSWD on a continual basis to meet the children's needs.

In April of 2001 Aloha House passed an inspection by Elvira Colarina SWO IV, Region 4. On April 23, 2001 Aloha House was issued a license as a Child Caring Agency, Child Placing Agency and Community Serving Agency under License No. 01-IV-022.

In February of 2002, Aloha House passed a technical and functional inspection and was Accredited with the Bureau of Standards, DSWD as a Child Caring, Child Placing and Community Serving Agency. Currently, most of our clientele are adoption cases and we look forward to working with ICAB for babies that do not get adopted locally. We have 11 clients in the house under our care presently. We are also helping two unwed mothers who are under psychiatric treatment. One has five children the eldest of whom is with us and the others are in temporary homes which we oversee. The other has two and her youngest in under our temporary care.

B. Rationale

According to the National Statistics Office, 32% of all Filipinos live below the poverty line with an annual per capita income of P 11,000 ($275.00). The N.S.O. reported that 75% of them were also hurt by the El Nino weather. In addition, according to the last census, families with 2 or more children in Palawan live in a shelter much smaller than the national average. These factors combine to make living conditions very difficult and it is the children who suffer. Many are abused and neglected because of a combination of these factors and mankind's tendency toward evil. Parenting is hard work. If parents are selfish or lazy then their children will suffer.

According to the Mayor's office in a report on Puerto Princesa City's Master plan: The infant mortality rate is currently 16.82. 31% of all households have newborns with weight below 2.5 kilos. 29% are not immunized. 35% do not have access to potable water. (250 m. or a 10 minute walk) 34% have no sanitary toilet. 43% have no preschool. 37% are not in high school. 9.2% of the road network is paved. Only 49,000 out of 123,000 homes have power.

Children are abandoned to relatives and sometimes thrown in the trash or aborted. The children of the Philippines who end up on the streets come from homes that have lost their struggle to be a family. Children from squatter areas and tribal groups as well as transients and single parents end up victims of negligence or unprepared parents. The case of baby Jas thrown into the trash in Puerto Princesa City points to the need of a facility that can place children in crisis without families into the permanent care of qualified families. In the Metro Manila area, House of Refuge is creating a home environment for children. In Bacolod, Calvary Chapel watches over children in the hopes of returning them to their families. In Rainbow Orphanage, Dumaguete City, the children are placed in families through adoption. Everywhere we have been, we see concerned citizens and missionaries with the desire to help the children around them.

Many times we have met people with sad stories about their living conditions and parents who where not able to cope. We started with those children who have no known family or are surrendered. We plan to operate orphanages that will help children in crisis without families; abandoned or surrendered, as a licensed child welfare care agency according to DSWD regulations. We believe placing them into qualified families is the best way to help. Republic Act 8043 states that each child has a right to a family of his own.

Those that are younger will readily place into Filipino families according to the laws of this country, that is why we started with the youngest, neediest children. As we grow in experience and knowledge and then develop competent staff we will expand to older children. Unwed mothers are also able to benefit from our services, knowing that many abandoned children come from this sector. We want to meet immediate needs as well as work through educational programs and livelihood projects to prevent some of the growing problems in the area. It is possible to take one step at a time and monitor the effectiveness of each program that is implemented.

II. Mission and Vision, Goals and Objectives

Mission- It is our Mission to help children and families physically, mentally emotionally, and spiritually.

Vision- Our vision is to see struggling families and their children stabilized and become a benefit in this society.

Goals- It is our goal to establish high quality child welfare care agencies that cater to the needs of children. It is our goal to promote the welfare of needy children, emotionally, physically, mentally, and spiritually.

Objectives- As stated in our Articles of incorporation, we resolve:

1.) To operate facilities that will help children: a. in crisis b. without families c. abandoned d. surrendered as a licensed child welfare care agency according to DSWD regulations.

Abandoned and Surrendered Children The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and the Philippine Republic Act 8043 state that every child has a right a family. It is our intention to legally place younger children into loving families approved by the Philippine government. This will be through local adoption procedures as well as the Inter-Country Adoption Bureau, or ICAB. We will eventually open a facility that would be a home for children that are not readily adopted.

Abused Children Some children need a safe place to wait or to heal while their abusers are investigated and prosecuted. Many times it is a family member or neighbor. Often they must be removed from their homes. Currently, the DSWD does not have a regular safe house for these children. Cases totaled 54 in 1998. This figure may have doubled in 1999. We can take in and help these children on a case to case bases. We offer a home school curriculum approved by D.E.C.S. for one of our clients who would otherwise have no opportunity to learn. We also offer counseling and a home where the child can heal and find stability.

Street Children Street Children are a growing problem in larger cities and we plan to help with drop in centers and specialized facilities for long term care when staff is trained and funds permit.

2.) To engage in social welfare programs such as Feeding Programs for malnourished and undernourished children, Medical Missions in needy communities, Scholarships for less privileged children and Livelihood programs for impoverished families.

Besides helping children in crisis, we like to help troubled families. Many of the children who are abused, abandoned or surrendered could have stayed with their original family if preventative steps could have been taken. It is our plan to develop programs that give families a hope and a future, equipping them as well as providing for them some of the most basic needs in life.

We have sent one recent high school graduate to MSU, Mindanao, on a support scholarship. She is from the tribes and eager to learn. We have done various feeding programs in the community as well as livelihood projects.

3.) To assist unwed mothers through counseling, care and other assistance programs.

Because of the growing temptations of our modern society, many women are confronted with parenthood before they are ready. A young single girl in crisis pregnancy is under enough shame from her surrounding friends and family that abortion or illegal abandonment becomes a way of escape. With a network of campus faculty and students working on behalf of the unborn children, we could prevent some of the tragedies that are occurring in the High schools and colleges here through abortion. This is genuine pro-life mission.

Mothers with Hope is our pilot program that aids some of these women when the needs are not met from partners, family, the government and other private sectors. We offer counseling and encouragement while at the same time we require a desire for change. We can assist with proper housing, child delivery and even adoption in the case of rape or abandonment. We also require that the ladies in crisis pregnancy work to their level of ability till they deliver, offering livelihood training for life outside the institution.

4.) To develop educational programs for our clientele as the needs arise.

Education is important in breaking the cycle of poverty and abuse that is prevalent in today's society. We believe that bringing knowledge to the clientele we serve is not enough. It takes genuine application of things learned that create change for struggling families. The material taught must be true and work for people to see results from their education. Each child and family we can help down the path of better education will benefit themselves and society as a whole.

Some of the programs we aim to develop can include the following: a. Educational programs for adult and child literacy b. Educational programs for preschoolers c. Educational programs for livelihood d. Educational programs for formal education when we grow to a size that would make it favorable.

C. Philosophy

1.) We believe that each child is a precious gift from God and that man's total development of his/her well-being must be the concern of our organization.

2.) We believe that each and every child has the right to belong to a family.

3.) We believe that society has the obligation to assist and strengthen the family. In the absence of a family, there is a need for a good, safe and secure home to love, care and shelter children.

4.) We believe that with love, care and a good education a child can grow and serve their own country and someday provide a loving and good home for their own family.

5.) We believe an institution is better than a life of neglect and abuse, but a family is the best place for a child's development.

III. Clientele

Our initial target clientele will be to help children in crisis, without families, abandoned or surrendered. Our initial target group is twofold. We will take in babies and young children who we can place into qualified families through legal adoption. Older children who suffer abuse could be sheltered on a short-term basis in limited numbers. Initially, these two groups could combine in a family environment.

We would then develop a separate children's home for girls that are abused and in need of short term care. Also, we are conducting feeding programs through local volunteer groups and churches for malnourished and undernourished children, as well as medical missions in needy communities. We will raise funds for scholarships for less privileged children and develop livelihood programs for impoverished families. We also help unwed mothers in need of counseling, care and other assistance programs. Later, unwed mothers would need a separate facility. Finally, street children would be helped with drop in centers and a halfway home to help them prepare for regular family life.

IV. Geographical Area of Coverage

Puerto Princesa City and Palawan will be the initial target area. We plan to take referrals from other parts of Region IV, as well as other regions in the Philippines.

The environmental areas targeted would include but not be limited to places such as slums, squatter areas in the cities and mountainous rain forest communities, especially where the people are living in poor and miserable conditions. These are the people just barely existing with little hope of change and without help.