The CRIBS Blog

by: Dine Racoma

What could be a more meaningful way to celebrate 3 birthdays than celebrating it with the staff and wards of CRIBS?

Anna Lissa Payawal, her younger sister Anna Magarita and 9-year old Acusha celebrated their birthdays today in CRIBS.

The elder Anna has known CRIBS since her college days, and promised herself that when she finishes her studies and becomes successful with her career, she would come back.

Now she is back with younger sister Anna and Acusha, who both believe that birthdays are meant to be shared.

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Welcome to CRIBS!Wherever you may be, here in the Philippines or another part of the world, we invite you to pass through our gates, enter our home and share in the challenges, hopes and dreams of our abandoned babies or sexually abused young girls, as well as the people who devote themselves to their care.Join us as we endeavor to heal and rebuild the shattered trust, hope and joy in their lives.

by Dine Racoma

Babies cry for so many reasons—they are hungry, bored, in pain, cold, thirsty, want to be cuddled, not comfortable, or in pain. They cry because it is the only way of communication that they know.  New mothers may be upset and frustrated in the beginning, because they do not yet understand why infants would cry, and continue to cry no matter what they do. But as the days go along, they begin understand their babies better, and with the pattern of their crying on the onset, they would anticipate their needs.

A mother would know if the baby is hungry, tired (yes, babies do get tired, and bored, too), uncomfortable (change of diapers, please), feeling cold, hot, just wanting to be cuddled, and sometimes—sick.  Something may be genuinely wrong if the baby does not stop crying, more so if the crying becomes high-pitched. On the other hand, something may be wrong if a baby who is usually a “cry baby” or normally an “unhappy baby” is unusually quiet. It may mean that something is not right.

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Blogging is a very new, and I would admit, a strange concept to me.  I only got to really know what it was when, a few weeks ago, the principal of my daughter’s alma mater wanted to speak with me because my daughter said something in the blog that seemed to have given a bad impression about their school.  I told myself, this blog thing must be great because it seemed to have a broad reach just in a click of one’s fingers!After I opened the blog created for us by one of our dear volunteers, Dine Racoma, I just knew this was what I want for CRIBS—a space where people can share, exchange ideas and be touched. I am amazed at how dynamic and interactive it can be between and among peoples who may never get the chance to see each other, but be bound by deep and profound experiences brought about by each one’s desire to help our children who are under the most difficult circumstances in their lives—abandoned, surrendered or abused by people they look up to for love and protection. Read the rest of this entry »

Babies are a link between angels and man.
– Author Unknown

A baby is born with a need to be loved — and never outgrows it.Frank A. Clark

Another Sunday, another day we always look forward to. For us, Sunday morning is CRIBS Day. We see to it that we are there by 9 am to feed the babies their snacks of lugaw or porridge. Then, time for play. Read the rest of this entry »

Before we can fully launch the blog, the blog is in need of articles regarding CRIBS. Thus, we are currently looking for people who have helped out CRIBS Foundation in any way, whether through donations or through volunteering, and are willing to share their experiences through this blog.

Do contact us if you want to contribute to this blog. We can be reached through our email addresses: ba[dot]racoma[at]gmail[dot]com or bracoma[at]gmail[dot]com.

Please do take note that in sharing you cannot mention the actual names from people who are in either the New Beginnings Program or Receiving Home Program. And sharing pictures of them are discouraged, but allowable under special circumstances (ie blurred faces, facing away from the camera).

Thank you, for your possible future participation.

As they have already said, welcome to CRIBS’s little nook in cyberspace! This site is our small way of helping out the people in CRIBS.

And you too can help! CRIBS is in need of people who have lots of love to share and who have time and efforts to spare. Just contact CRIBS if you do want to help.

Please do feel free to contact us if you need to.  You can personally reach me at my e-mail address: ba[dot]racoma[at]gmail[dot]com, or you can comment in this entry.

If you want to get in touch with the CRIBS staff, please do not hesitate to contact them. Their contact details are as follows:

Email: cribsnet@info.com.ph
Phone#: (632)681-5921, (632)681-8078
Fax#: (632) 647-1329

We hope to hear from you soon, dear reader.

Perhaps you may even pop by the foundation someday?

Welcome to The CRIBS Blog!

CRIBS is an acronym for Create Responsive Infants By Sharing. The CRIBS Blog is exactly that–a vehicle to help create responsive infants by sharing. To help create an awareness of the existence of this haven, to share the unforgettable and rich experiences of the people who in one way or another have become involved in CRIBS–the volunteers, donors and benefactors, even the adoptive parents who may wish to share their piece.

And yes, the people behind CRIBS.

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CRIBS has a New Beginning Program–it serves as a residential center for a maximum of 25 female victims of abuse, ages 7 to 17 years old where they are helped to begin their lifelong healing process by providing them with a safe nurturing home environment under the care of substitute houseparents and with as many positive experiences as possible. Participation in this healing process and cooperation of the girls’ families are also sought.

The girls attend formal and special classes and receive individual and group counseling. They participate in therapeutic activities like sports and physical exercises, arts, singing, dancing and drama workshops, spiritual formation and livelihood skills training. They are also provided with home life skills training such as housekeeping, parenting and decision-making and life-planning skills. Read the rest of this entry »

Receiving Home Program–it provides temporary shelter and  wholistic residential care to abandoned and surrendered babies from 1-day-old to 4 years old. It is able to support and maintain a maximum of 25 babies at any given time.

Registered nurses supervise the services given by a staff of caregivers in each of the three (3) shifts to cover 24 hours. Usually in poor medical and nutritional condition upon admittance, the babies are nursed back to health and are given the necessary and continuous stimulation to enhance cognitive, affective, psychosocial, motor and language development.

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