Slough Community Church (SCC) has for some time been involved in an outreach programme in the Philippines, supporting a remotely located school in Sitio Quinomay.

The progamme, Agape: Reshaping Academic Lives (A:RAL) is rooted in a simple conviction: ‘that love in action can help reshape the academic lives of children whose schools and communities are often far beyond the reach of everyday support’.

Below is an update of what has been happening with the A:RAL programme from SCC, which is led by Pastor, Ariel Samoza.

A Journey

We would like to take you on a journey. It begins on a motorcycle through the mountains of Balugo in Oriental Mindoro, a province in the Philippines. The official road does not continue all the way. As the terrain becomes increasingly difficult, the motorcycle must be dismounted, and most of the remainder of the journey must be made on foot. 

All in all, the route means crossing the river 31 times and travelling for up to three hours each way, weather permitting, before reaching Sitio Quinomay. Then, after one final river crossing, Quinomay Elementary School comes into view. 

For many, this would feel like the end of a long and difficult road. For A:RAL and our Partners (Project Yakap), it is the beginning of a renewed commitment. Every river crossing is a reminder of the barriers children, teachers, and families face in accessing basic education. Every step towards the school is a reminder that those barriers can be met with faith, partnership, perseverance, and love. 

About A:RAL 

A:RAL was founded during a season when Covid disrupted learning across the world. For remote communities, the disruption was especially severe. When classrooms close, travel is difficult, resources were more scarce than ever, families stretched and children can quickly fall behind. A:RAL was founded to help restore hope, strengthen learning, and remind pupils that they have not been forgotten. 

Our projects focus on walking alongside Quinomay Elementary School and the community of Sitio Quinomay. It is about more than delivering supplies or visiting a school. It is about building relationships, finding ways to support academic life in ways that are meaningful and sustainable and spreading joy in any way we can.  

A:RAL Support 

At A:RAL, we firmly believe that education is one of the keys to changing a generation. Fortunately, the teachers of Quinomay Elementary School are already committed to making the journey and delivering education to the children of Sitio Quinomay. 

However, because of the village’s remote location and limited income opportunities, A:RAL seeks to bridge the gap by supporting the children, families, and teachers with their everyday school needs so that education can continue with dignity, confidence, and hope. 

Over the years, we have supported Quinomay in many small but meaningful ways, and every act of support has been met with such happiness and enthusiasm. During Covid, we began with school supplies in the form of printing materials. Later, after noticing that many children did not have slippers, providing footwear became our next goal. With the generous support of family back home, P.E. kits were also sponsored. 

We were then able to set the children up with their own school supplies: notebooks, folders, pencils, and the everyday essentials they would need to begin the school year well. We have also had the joy of sponsoring their Christmas parties, which are always whole-community occasions, with the entire village gathering together to celebrate. 

Those Christmas celebrations later sparked an additional project, Clothing the Community, through which care packages were sent back home filled with clothes, snacks, and toys. Most recently, we were able to complete our school uniform project for 107 pupils. It was their first time wearing a school uniform, and the reaction was incredibly heartwarming. 

There was a visible sense of pride: pride in their education, pride in showing up for school, and pride in showing up for themselves. Parents and teachers were deeply grateful, explaining that it was the first time such a thing had happened for them. And, of course, with every trip there has also been an abundance of food, fun, and games with the children. 

We are incredibly grateful to everyone who has supported this amazing endeavour so far. We are especially thankful to our contact in the Philippines, Mark Manalo, who tirelessly gathers a team of friends — some from his church and others from his wider community — to make the journey up the mountains and help bring each project to life.

Join us

This journey to Quinomay is not simply a story about distance. It is a story about dignity, opportunity, partnership, and the power of love expressed through action. A:RAL exists to support what is already growing: committed teachers, eager children, resilient families, and a community that continues to value education despite many challenges. Each notebook, each uniform, each meal shared, and each celebration is a small reminder that these children are seen, valued, and worth investing our time and care in. 

As A:RAL continues to grow, we invite you to follow the journey, pray with us, partner with us, and help reshape academic lives one child at a time. If you would like any more information about the work of A:RAL, our latest projects, or how you can support future visits to Quinomay Elementary, please do reach out — we would love to hear from you. 

Pastor Ariel, Slough Community Church (SCC)

Get in touch with SCC via their Facebook page