Ephesians Christian Academy (Pre-School) Philippines - Project 082

This project initiated by the late Don Foster who sadly died in 2024, following a fatal road accident, embraces the motto found in Proverbs 22: 6 “Train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old, he will not depart from it.”

Dear Friends,

Government schools in the Philippines have large classes of over 60 children often managed by a single teacher working long hours. By contrast, Ephesians Christian Academy (pre-school) is a small private pre-school giving a good basic elementary and primary education to children. Most children come from very poor families.

At the beginning of 2025, the school employed 8 teachers providing tuition to a total of 72 children, aged between 6 years to 10 years old. This means there are about 12-14 children in each class. Although linked spiritually to the Bible Baptist Church in Santa Meza, Metro Manila, the school does have their own Chaplain and Board of Management registered with the Philippine Government.

Siloam has been assisting this pre-school since 2009 when we initially sponsored a few children who have subsequently gone on to secondary school where they have achieved very good marks. Without the help of this private pre-school, these children would not have such a good start in their education. Most children come from very poor, difficult backgrounds often living in crowded and unstable wooden houses where fire and flooding due to tropical storms are a constant risk.

Previously, Don Foster used to visit this project normally twice a year. Most of these families have around 4 to 6 children but a few families that Don visited in the past had as many as 16 children in one family! In these situations, the older children are left with the responsibilities in caring for their younger siblings. The Ephesians Christian Academy – (pre-school) offers counselling and gives advice to such families as these.

Rather than sponsoring individual children, Siloam finds it preferable to assist the school as a whole on a regular basis. By helping these young children to become computer literate at an early age, gives them a very powerful advantage when they go up to senior school. This enables Mrs Lilian Viray, the School Administrator and her staff, to assess and allocate the funds to where they are most needed at any one time. Ministry gifts to the Ephesians Christian Academy (pre-school) are normally forwarded to the Philippines twice each year. The project: 082 is not advertised aggressively to avoid unnecessary fundraising expense but for those donors who are motivated to help a deserving Filipino child succeed in life, they can direct their giving to project: 082 which provides for such deserving children.

Siloam recognises this is a small but deserving project worthy of support and it provides an outlet for generous giving for those supporters who want to identify and support those working with vulnerable and disadvantaged children in the Philippines.

The following is a list of ministry gift grants forwarded to the Ephesians Christian Academy (pre-school) made possible by those dedicated Siloam supporters who wish to encourage this vital educational ministry among poor children in the Philippines.