Two hundred two Moro orphans are considered by the Bangsamoro Development Agency (BDA) or sponsorship through its orphanage care program with support from Insani Yardim Vakfi (IHH), a humanitarian foundation based in Turkey.

Sixty four are catered under in-house care program and the other 138 are distant orphans.

In-house orphans are sheltered at Ugur Suleyman Soylemez Orphanage, the orphanage established for this program.

Children under this category are provided with free accommodation, meals and schooling including supplies and materials for studies.

“We have already enrolled them at nearby school, provided them necessary stuff for schooling, with free transportation,”Zaida DImacisil, orphanage director said.

Distant orphans are receiving monthly allowance worth of 1,300 pesos.

Accordingly, disbursement of their allowances started upon their acceptance in the program.

For Davao, Southern Mindanao and Central Mindanao regions, orphans allowance started in March 2015 while for the regions of Ranaw, budget started on January of the same year.

Orphans allowance is disbursed every six months.

Psychosocial activities are also part of the services provided by the program for the children.

“For instance, during our distribution of allowances, we organize parlor games for the children. This way, they get bond and have fun which is good for them as they get socialize and able to express themselves by playing,”Dimacisil said.

Dimacisil reported that they also have distributed to the children caps and shirts that were excess from the Solidarity Days on May 18-19, a special activity organized annually for the children sponsored by IHH under the program.

The orphanage targets 1,000 children for sponsorship every year.

To note, Ugur Suleyman Soylemez Orphanage was inaugurated on May 16, 2015 attended by distinguished guests from Turkey government led by its Ambassador to the Philippines, the Government of the Philippines and Moro Islamic Liberation Front (GPH-MILF) peace panel, local government unit of Cotabato City, development partners, local non-government organizations (NGOs), parents and BDA staff.

BDA started its partnership with IHH in 2014 through the Qurbani program implemented that year.