BABA’S HOPE TOWN INITIATIVE COMES ALIVE! Groundbreaking in Bagong Silang, Manila, Philippines

(2 August 2009) On 2 August 2009, a group of us were privileged to attend the ground-breaking ceremony for Baba's 1st HoPE Town in Bagong Silang (Manila, Philippines) on behalf of the Tripura Foundation. Bagong Silang is the largest slum in the Philippines with over 1 million residents. We were reunited with some of our friends we had met before on our last trip to Bagong Silang, including Jean who had been featured in our HoPE Town Virtual Tour.

Mohini with our volunteer builders from Singapore and the Philippines, together with three of the lovely ladies from the Bagong Silang GK Site. Jean is in blue above. Hema and Jnani, our volunteers who flew down specially from the UK and US respectively are not pictured here. Volunteer builders to help build Baba‟s HoPE Town are always welcomed!

HoPE Town Groundbreaking (August 2009)

Tripura Foundation Page 2

HoPE stands for Heaven on Planet Earth and it was moving to meet the 30 poor families in Bagong Silang whom Baba has blessed with a life of Heaven on Earth: a home to call their own, clean water to drink, proper sanitation and a beautiful surrounding environment to live in. However, Baba‟s HoPE Town Initiative means more than just giving houses to the poor: it is about transforming the lives of people who are often neglected and forgotten and restoring their dignity as human beings. It is beyond words how a simple gift of a house, costing no more than US$2,000, can make a profound difference not only in the lives of each of these families but also in the lives of their future generations who would escape otherwise being born into a slum-environment and growing up with slum consciousness. HoPE Town initiative is a partnership between Tripura Foundation and Gawad Kalinga, a Philippines-based organisation. Gawad Kalinga ("GK") means "to give care” and was founded over 10 years ago by the saintly Tony Meloto. Like Baba, Tony has the welfare of the poor close to his heart and is someone who “walks the talk”. GK has done a remarkable job of transforming the lives of many slum-dwellers across the Philippines (including in Bagong Silang) both on the inside and the outside. The GK residents whom we met were once slum dwellers themselves but are now shining emblems of human transformation -they were all brimming with joy and happiness and had an immense gratitude for the material blessings (a new home and a new life) they were receiving from donors they had never met. Here is a photo album to commemorate Baba‟s HoPE Town ground-breaking ceremony and to celebrate the lives of the Bagong Silang residents who will soon be beginning a life of Heaven on Earth. 1) Existing HoPE Town Site Below is the actual site upon which HoPE Town is going to be built. There are 30 slum houses in this particular GK site. These houses are currently in process of being demolished and in their place, 30 beautiful homes will rise.

HoPE Town Groundbreaking (August 2009)

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HoPE Town Groundbreaking (August 2009)

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2) Ground-breaking ceremony on 2 August 2009 It was a perfect day and the GK residents of Bagong Silang gave us a warm and lovely welcome.

Mohini (left) and Jnani (below) being welcomed by the residents whose lives have already been transformed by GK. These warm and cheerful people once dwelled in slums but through GK‟s efforts, they now live in picture-perfect houses (background) and have nice and clean clothes to wear.

The ladies below, dressed in their fineries, have been trained by GK to serve as “Mabuhay” (Filipino for „Welcome') Ladies. They welcome you when you arrive at the GK site in Bagong Silang with much courtesy and friendliness.

HoPE Town Groundbreaking (August 2009)

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The children were especially joyful and exuberant in their welcome and put on a moving performance for us. The GK ladies also performed an elaborate traditional Filipino dance.

HoPE Town Groundbreaking (August 2009)

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Tony Meloto (on behalf of GK) and Mohini (on behalf of Tripura Foundation) both expressed a shared goal in alleviating poverty and suffering and in bringing about Heaven on Earth.

HoPE Town Groundbreaking (August 2009)

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Everybody had fun joining in during the HoPE Town groundbreaking ceremony

HoPE Town Groundbreaking (August 2009)

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We had the opportunity to participate in the demolition of a slum house. The 1st HoPE Town house will subsequently be built there. Here are our very own Rahul from the Philippines and Jnani from the US doing some demolition. Jnani is currently doing service as HoPE Town‟s Project Development Director.

HoPE Town Groundbreaking (August 2009)

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We also visited some of the future residents of Baba‟s HoPE Town:

Currently, up to three generations of a single family were squeezed into a small single-room slum house!

Molly, our volunteer from Singapore, with a future HoPE Town family.

Nonetheless, everyone was always so gracious in welcoming us into their homes and spending time with us.

HoPE Town Groundbreaking (August 2009)

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When completed, Baba‟s HoPE Town will look something like this GK village in Bagong Silang: colourful, clean, orderly and in a beautiful surrounding environment.

HoPE Town Groundbreaking (August 2009)

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The children of the GK site were the highlight of our visit. Even though they grew up in a slum, these sweet souls were friendly, warm and had an innate divinity that shone straight from their hearts.

They are the future of Baba‟s HoPE Town.

HoPE Town Groundbreaking (August 2009)

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~ Thank you for your support and generosity ~