St. Arnold Janssen KALINGA Center (AJKC), founded more than four years ago, continues to be a beacon of hope of Manila’s many homeless and poor people. It has welcomed within its doors many people who were neglected, abandoned and forgotten by mainstream society.

KALINGA is an acronym for the programs offered by the center: Kain-Aral-LIgo-naNG-umAyos (Eat, Learn, Bathe, to be Well).

We envision a society where nobody is left behind, and the dignity of the all people is upheld, respected, secured, and celebrated. Its overall objective is to provide those who are poverty stricken with holistic, systematic and dignified care.  Its specific objectives are:

  • To contribute in recreating and rebuilding the lives of the poorest of the poor by creating a culture of care - systematic, holistic, and dignified;
  • To explore ways of making the change in the lives of our partners sustainable through alternative learning systems and skills-building for gainful work; and
  • At the community level, to create spaces and opportunities where our partners will take care of other poor people in their neighborhood like KALINGA has done for them.

The Center is organized for the homeless and the poor, especially the children, who are provided with systematic and holistic care: 

FOOD AND HYGIENE – This Phase focuses on re-creating their self-image by providing freshly cooked meal of two viands and unlimited rice, served in food trays with complete table service; and a shower facility complete with soap and shampoo, for its members.

PANATAG NIGHT SHELTER PROGRAM

KALINGA’s PANATAG Night Shelter Program provides our members the experience of a true home, however temporary: a refreshing bath before dinner, and a good and peaceful sleep in a clean and safe place.

In 2018 alone, KALINGA welcomed and served a total of thirty two thousand seven hundred and five (32,705) members in one hundred fifty nine (159) days. KALINGA provided the Alternative Learning System(ALS) Education Program to some 14 to 30 enrollees. To date, the KALINGA-ALS program has successfully produced one(1) elementary and three(3) High school graduates. KALINGA PANATAG Program welcomed a total of five thousand nine hundred and seventy (5970) members for one hundred seventy two (177) nights of dinner, shelter for night rest, and a breakfast in the morning.

The 7 Stations at the Kalinga Center are as follows:

Station 1: Welcoming Station
Station 2: Profiling Station
Station 3: Clothing Station
Station 4: Bathing Station
Station 5: Grooming and Affirmation Station
Station 6: Meals and Bonding Station
Station 7: Sending-Off with a Mission (Kinalinga ka, mangalinga ka rin sa iba ng may galak)

EDUCATION – In partnership with the Department of Education, KALINGA’s Alternative Learning System (ALS) offers its members the opportunity to study again, and to continue one’s education in a non-formal educational setting. The KALINGA- ALS program takes place four (4) times in a week; followed by a livelihood and skills training.

To date, KALINGA also provides continuous formation for values, self- worth, GMRC, as well as work place ethics and professionalism to our members turned volunteers. PHASE II focuses on helping its members’ reclaim their self-respect.

LIVELIHOOD – KALINGA offers feasible opportunities for livelihood and employment to those who have shown zealous cooperation and transformation through the months of being with the KALINGA Center. Phase III is concerned in aiding them restore their self-worth.

On a weekly average, the Center receives 1000 young and old street dwellers where each person is received with much care and love.

Benefactors and donors are all those who have shared their resources for the benefit of AJKC’s work and ministry. These resources could either be financial or in-kind donations.

AJKC welcomes the generous donations of donors and benefactors in carrying out its ministry. In fact, AJKC functions through the selfless and boundless generosity of God through the help of many benefactors.

While AJKC accepts donations, AJKC also has preference in the things donors and benefactors give. Rice, clothing, shampoo, mats, towels and toiletries (paper towels, sanitary napkins, among others) donations are preferred for Phase IA and Phase IB; school supplies and other classroom paraphernalia are also preferred donations for Phase II; Donations for Phase III are dependent on the kind of livelihood activities AJKC offers at a given time.

Benefactors are treated as integral members of AJKC. They are welcome to visit, and invited for special events or informed if there are notable activities in AJKC.