Bukid Kabataan Centre in Cavite provides hope and healing to young abuse victims
The facility run by the Sisters of the Good Shepherd celebrated 25 years of service to survivors of gender-based violence and street life. It is a haven where, with work and education, girls can overcome neglect and trauma. Some speak about their experience, about rediscovering “the delight of childhood again” and having “faith that no one will harm or mistreat me.”
Manila (AsiaNews) – The Bukid Kabataan Centre (BKC) in Cavite celebrated 25 years. Run by the Sisters of the Good Shepherd (RGS), it serves girls who have survived gender-based violence and street life in the Philippines.
The anniversary was an opportunity to remember the centre's origins and its commitment to empowerment and the rediscovery of self-esteem, through the sharing of life-changing experiences.
Dozens of girls who have been exploited, abused and neglected have found a safe place at the Centre, a refuge where they can heal from the trauma they endured.
The BKC is based on the principles of care, healing, and teaching, and continues to provide comprehensive interventions that restore dignity, self-esteem, and hope to every child.
During their stay at the Centre, the girls are taught essential skills to help them prepare for life outside the facility.
For this reason, they are offered part-time work opportunities on weekends and in the summer; they also earn money by making rosaries and bracelets, which they sell to partner NGOs and visitors to the Centre.
As they move on to the next stage of their lives, the assistance programme ensures they continue to receive care, support, and guidance.
For the event commemorating its half-century, the BKC invited former students to share their life experiences.
“I wanted to be a writer when I grew up,” said Joan (not her real name), 14. “Writing about other people's experiences, especially those who have experienced abuse, was something I wanted to do. I wished to inspire other young people who had encountered comparable difficulties and give significance to their stories,” she explained.
“At the shelter, I discovered how to lead a contented and tranquil life. Their love taught me to cherish my life,” she added. “I have faith that no one will harm or mistreat me. I also gained self-expression and fear management skills. I have clung to God's assurance.”
Another 15-year-old girl, Lucy (also a fictitious name), described how her time at the Centre gave her a renewed sense of security, happiness, and optimism for the future. “One of our concerned neighbours escorted my sister and me to the Bukid Kabataan Centre, where we received a warm welcome,” she explained.
“We deeply appreciated the opportunity to be here. At the centre, we were able to experience the delight of childhood again. We felt safe and secure because the centre satisfies our basic needs and protects us from danger and worry,” she added.
The Sisters of the Good Shepherd were founded in France in 1835 by Saint Marie-Euphrasie Pelletier, with the first arriving in the Philippines in 1912.
In Cavite the nuns began their work in 1983, initially as the Morning Glory Programme (MGP) of the Archdiocese of Manila, with the collaboration of Caritas Manila. The congregation then assumed full management of the MGP and BKC in 2000.
A girl can stay for up to three years, although special circumstances may allow exceptions. For those who move on, there is family counselling, educational support, and an after-school care programme.
For programme director Sister Gemma Dinglasan, RGS, the children go to the gardens that are part of the facility after school and can engage in gardening.
They love watching the seedlings grow and enthusiastically tend the plots under the close supervision of farmworkers. They enjoy harvesting. With this method of education and care, the children learn to be strong and responsible citizens.
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