Lighting the Path of Hope: RC Valenzuela East’s Scholarship Partnership with Nazareth Home for Street Children

In a world where many children face uncertainty and struggle to find their place, the Rotary Club of Valenzuela East continues to stand as a beacon of hope and compassion. Through the spirit of Service Above Self, the club recently formalized a partnership with Nazareth Home for Street Children—a humble yet powerful institution in Bustos, Bulacan that has been transforming young lives since 1995.

Nazareth Home for Street Children was founded on October 25, 1995, by Bishop Cirilo R. Almario, Jr., D.D., Bishop Emeritus of Malolos, together with the Sisters of the Divine Shepherd (SDS) under Mo. Ma. Fatima R. Senarillos, SDS, Mother Superior. The center serves as a haven for children who were orphaned, abandoned, maltreated, neglected, or victims of abuse. It provides them with a nurturing environment where they can experience love, safety, and guidance—values deeply needed by the young souls they shelter.

The institution’s mission focuses on the holistic development of children. They are guided not only through formal and non-formal education but also through life-skill programs that teach housekeeping, art, leadership, and value formation. Each activity is designed to build confidence, instill discipline, and create a sense of belonging—turning once-forgotten children into hopeful dreamers ready to take on the world.

A Legacy of Compassion

The relationship between Nazareth Home and the Rotary Club of Valenzuela East is rooted in decades of quiet generosity. It began with the Paguia family, led by the late Celerino Jhocson Paguia, who started supporting the children of Nazareth in 1998. When he passed away in 2005, his daughter, IPP Maria Gracia Paguia, carried on the mission of love and compassion. For years, she continued responding to the needs of the Home—whether it was through donations, supplies, or facilities improvement, including the “Silong Kapatid” project that rebuilt the center’s dining and study area.

This long-standing relationship between the Paguia family and Nazareth Home eventually blossomed into a Rotary initiative. In 2022, during the term of Past President Paul Vincent Tan under the Imagine Rotary year, the club officially began its annual Gift Giving Program, held every November in celebration of IPP Gracia Paguia’s birthday. What started as a family tradition of giving became a continuing Rotary project, now sustained and strengthened under Good President Marianne Espinosa.

A Partnership to Empower Scholars

In August 2025, IPP Maria Gracia Paguia personally initiated a transportation and gasoline allowance program for three deserving scholars from Nazareth Home—providing a ₱3,000 monthly shared allowance to help cover their daily travel to school.

The three scholars—Michaela O. Cama and Harlene Dela Cruz, both first-year BS Entrepreneurship students, and Jessamay A. Llanasas, a first-year BS Computer Engineering student—represent hope, determination, and the power of opportunity.

To ensure sustainability, the Rotary Club of Valenzuela East formalized this initiative through a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with Nazareth Home for Street Children on November 12, 2025. This agreement signifies Rotary’s commitment to continue supporting the scholars’ transportation assistance and exploring more ways to uplift the institution and its children.

Unite for Good: Inspiring Collective Action

As the Rotary Club of Valenzuela East embraces Rotary’s global theme, “Unite for Good,” this partnership stands as a testament to what can be achieved when compassion and collaboration come together. The campaign encourages members to build stronger connections and use their collective strength to make a greater impact—values clearly reflected in this project.

The partnership with Nazareth Home proves that change begins when people choose to care, act, and unite for a common purpose. It calls on fellow Rotary clubs and organizations to continue reaching out—to help not only the children of Nazareth but all who dream of a better life.

As we look ahead, may this project remind us that “The test of our progress is not whether we add more to the abundance of those who have much, but whether we provide enough for those who have too little.”

Through this initiative, the Rotary Club of Valenzuela East renews its promise to serve with heart, act with purpose, and Unite for Good—turning compassion into action and hope into reality.

Written by: IPP MG Paguia, Rotary Club of Valenzuela East