History
The Kariton Empowerment Center, Inc. was founded to campaign for a more descent life condition for street families. It was born when we, the founders were faced with the inhuman living conditions of many families living along the streets where we passed each day. Believing that God is for the poor and conscious that the belief they follow teaches that doing good for the poor is an intrinsic responsibility of a faithful, an expected human endeavor, and a Godly act, we ventured into possibilities of calling attention to the plight of street families around. Nevertheless, we also believed that many among them have potentials to tap if given equal opportunity, and we strived to use donations and aids received to uplift their self-esteem, discover and use their talents creatively and productively, and giving them space to encounter God where they feel comfortable and accepted.
Kariton Empowerment Center, Inc. (KEC) is a registered Non-Government Organization under the Philippine Securities and Exchange Commission in 2009. Officially founded in July 2007, by Ms Cynthia P. Calubaquib and Dr. Nicole Tilman with Mr. Ed Legson as its first organizer.
In our first ocular visits, there were many among them who just had push carts that served as their homes and when it was too small for the family, the rest would spread cartons along the sidewalk to sleep on. We hiked for an hour or so after office hours to survey where they were found or to search for them when they had to flee from authorities who drove them away from their usual place. Our conversations usually lasted for two hours during our encounters with them
– listening to their stories. It took some time to understand their situation and when we did, and after gathering the facts about their situation, we conducted a forum to call the attention of the local government and the Department of Social Welfare. This has borne fruit when Kariton Empowerment Center was called by the DSWD, Quezon City to name some of its beneficiaries to be included in the 4 Ps Program and which included other street dwellers like in its programs for the homeless.
Our after-work and week-end encounters with them led us to deeper insights and reflections of who we are, what life is really all about and what does it really mean to profess our Catholic Christian faith. Our reflections and thoughts may also be read at: Calubaquib, Cynthia and Tilman, Nicole (2019) “Regaining Dignity and Social Inclusion: Street Homelessness in Manila and Strategies From Below,” Journal of Vincentian Social Action: Vol. 4 : Iss. 1 , Article 11. Available at: scholar.stjohns.edu.
Kariton Empowerment Center, Inc. carries it mission of rehabilitating street dwellers and organizing them to form a self-help group to regain their dignity through the following: organizing, values formation and education, livelihood programs, networking and advocacy and support services such as feeding, medical, legal and counselling services or referrals, and tutorials for children. It envisions itself to be a compassionate companion among street dwellers in seeking better options in their situation, discover their capacities, and finding their voice as a sector so that they too can be heard in our society. As a companion, it commits itself to lead those who are homeless that are willing to do something about their situation, connect those who are willing to contribute and find meaning in this endeavor no matter how little it may be. Inspired by the Syro-Phoenician woman’s story in the Scripture, our
slogan goes: Even just with your crumbs, the lives of our beneficiaries will move on. A drop of water when constant and continuous creates a pool. A pool of water eventually overflows. If contained to be stopped, it will burst and destroy. If allowed to flow, will build, create and allow others to grow.