Little Lights: Illuminating Futures, One Child at a Time

In the quiet mountains of Guinaoang, Mankayan, Benguet, there is a classroom where tiny footsteps echo with boundless dreams. It is where children first learn to write their names, sing their favorite songs, discover new colors, and imagine who they might one day become.

For years, that classroom did its best with limited resources. Dedicated teachers nurtured young minds with what they had, proving that learning begins with love. But every child deserves more than good intentions. Every child deserves a space that inspires curiosity, celebrates differences, and makes learning an adventure.

Believing that a child’s future begins with the environment in which they learn, the Rotary Club of Marikina West, under the leadership of High Impact President Katrina Frances C. Evasco, transformed the Ambabag Child Development Center through Project Little Lights—an initiative that reimagined the school as a safe, inclusive, and joyful place where every child can flourish.

This was never meant to be a simple donation drive. It was the creation of a learning home.

Project Turnover Date: July 24, 2026.

The center was thoughtfully renovated with colorful learning spaces, child-friendly furniture, protective wall padding, educational materials, reading books, classroom technology, and teaching resources that encourage creativity and exploration. New school supplies, lunch boxes, study tables, children’s mats, bookshelves, and storage cabinets now welcome young learners each day with comfort and excitement.

Yet perhaps the most remarkable part of the project is the message it sends—that every child belongs.

Children with hearing and visual impairments were not forgotten. Hearing aids, Braille learning kits, and Department of Education-approved educational tablets were provided so children with different learning needs could participate, grow, and discover alongside their classmates. In a community where access to specialized learning tools is often limited, these resources represent something far greater than equipment—they represent inclusion, dignity, and equal opportunity.

Safety became another cornerstone of the transformation. Fire extinguishers, first aid kits, hard hats, upgraded electrical wiring, CCTV systems powered by solar energy, and improved classroom facilities now help create a secure environment where children can learn with confidence and parents can entrust their little ones with greater peace of mind.

The greatest transformation, however, cannot be measured by renovated walls or new equipment.

It will be seen in the smile of a child opening a brand-new school bag for the first time. In the excitement of listening to a story displayed on a Smart TV. In a teacher who now has better tools to make every lesson come alive. In a child with special needs who finally experiences learning without barriers.

These moments may seem ordinary, yet together they shape extraordinary futures.

Long after the paint has dried and the ribbons have been cut, this classroom will continue to nurture generations of children. It will inspire confidence, encourage creativity, and remind every learner who walks through its doors that their dreams matter.

That is the true legacy of Project Little Lights.

It is not found in the number of school supplies distributed or the classrooms renovated. It is found in every child who leaves believing that their future is brighter because someone, somewhere, believed in them first.

For the Rotary Club of Marikina West, this is what Service Above Self truly means—not simply building classrooms, but building hope, one child, one dream, and one brighter tomorrow at a time.

Accompanying President Katrina at the project venue were Immediate Past President Kevin Micole Delfino and Ms. Krizelle Megu, Past President Johann Erickson Evasco, and Past President Rey John Fantone and Spouse Nora.

Written by: President Katrina Frances C. Evasco