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c h i k k a
b u z z
In just a matter of weeks, Bronte had shot
the video, teamed up with the Black Pencil
Project, and sent out her appeal online.
The response exceeded all expectations:
not 1,000 bears as they had aimed for, but
2,000. And then three. And hundreds more.
And they got help from many other places.
The Mandarin Oriental, where they had been
living while in the Philippines, launched
an employee toy drive to support Bronte’s
project. LBC pledged to take on all delivery
for free. Cebu Pacific agreed to fly Bronte,
Megan, members of the Black Pencil Project,
and companions like Mr. Hugs to the relief
sites to bring the bears.
The 3,000 bears have since gone on to
many towns throughout Misamis Oriental
and later, Negros. Bronte and her mom had
gone to Iligan City and now to La Libertad to
accompany the bears, and found themselves
richly rewarded as well. “I never knew about
‘The Rights of the Child’,” Megan says. A
presentation of the UNICEF convention is
part of the outreach program, which has been
dramatized by partner organization Center for
Hope-Cebu. Toys are one thing — still a very
important thing to Bronte and the children
they were going to see — but if they could
also ensure that the children, their parents
and caretakers could learn about the human
rights of children, then so much the better.
In La Libertad, Bronte met a boy who
chose only a modest volleyball-shaped plush
toy from the giant mound of toys that all the
other kids had picked through. Norman had
been rescued from the landslide that had
killed his family. Bronte insisted that he have
a bear that had come from her own collection
back home. Norman smiled, almost too shy
to accept the bear. But then he put his arms
around the bear and hugged it tightly.
STILL WANT TO
get involved? These
organizations helped with Bronte’s
toy drive — and are continuing the
good work.
Black Pencil Project
Collaborating with Cathy Guballa
and organizations like Climb Against
Cancer, this rural-education advocacy
group branched out to launch the
1000 Bear Hugs Project, which
Bronte Henfling supported with her
phenomenal toy drive. Black Pencil
continues to promote and support
primary and indigenous education
in far-flung provinces around the
country.
www.blackpencilproject.org
Center of Hope-Cebu
This organization is all about helping
children, especially in calamity-
stricken situations where they are
especially vulnerable to abuse and
human trafficking. As the local arm of
Hope Worldwide, the church-based
Center of Hope works with DSWD
and other NGOs to promote the
rights of children, support education
services and prevent abuse.
www.
hopewwph.org
Helping hand
Cebu Pacific
flew Bronte to
the relief sites