After an earthquake forced Jessa to redirect her savings toward repairing their damaged home, she feared she could no longer afford the things her son needed for school. ChildFund’s emergency assistance eased that burden, allowing a single mother to keep a promise that meant more than most people would see.
By Check Zabala
After receiving cash assistance from ChildFund, Jessa returns to the small sundry store she runs to support her family, carrying renewed hope for the days ahead. Photo by Check Zabala
For months, Jessa had been setting aside money whenever she could.
The 31-year-old single mother from Tupi, South Cotabato had one goal before the start of the school year: buy a new pair of school shoes for her son, Carl John.
The 13-year-old Grade 8 student, a ChildFund-sponsored child, rarely asked for anything. Raised by Jessa on her own, he understood that every peso had to be stretched. Still, he needed new shoes for school, and Jessa was determined to get them.
Little by little, she saved from the earnings of her small neighborhood sundry store.
Then, on June 8, everything changed.
Jessa was tending to her store when a powerful earthquake rocked Southern Mindanao. As the ground shook, she and her mother rushed outside to safety.
Her thoughts immediately went to Carl John.
The 13-year-old was at school when the earthquake struck. Desperate to know he was safe, Jessa called him and asked her father to fetch him.
Only when she knew her son was out of danger did she take stock of what had happened at home. Part of their house had collapsed, including the roof above her bedroom.
“When I saw the roof had collapsed, I told myself that it could be repaired,” Jessa recalled. “What mattered most was that none of us were hurt.”
But while their family had survived, the earthquake left them with difficult choices.
The money she had carefully saved for Carl John’s shoes was suddenly needed for repairs. What had taken months to set aside disappeared almost overnight.
For Jessa, the disappointment was not about the shoes themselves.
It was about what they represented.
As a solo parent, providing for her son has never been easy. The earthquake made it harder.
“Life is not easy when you’re raising a child on your own,” she said. “The money I had saved for Carl had to be used somewhere else because our home needed repairs.”
What made it even harder was knowing that Carl John would never complain.
“Carl is very understanding,” she said. “He doesn’t ask for much because he knows our situation. Even when he needs something, he rarely insists.”
Families affected by the earthquake gather in Tupi, South Cotabato, to receive cash assistance and begin taking the next steps toward recovery. Photo by Check Zabala
Weeks later, help arrived through ChildFund’s emergency response initiative, implemented with local partner Ha Uman in partnership with the Municipality of Tupi.
Jessa’s family was among 320 families who received Multi-Purpose Cash Assistance to support their recovery. The assistance reached earthquake-affected households across the municipality, including the families of ChildFund-sponsored children.
Designed to help families address their most pressing needs after the disaster, the assistance gave parents like Jessa the flexibility to decide what recovery looked like for their families.
Jessa waits alongside other families of ChildFund-sponsored children to receive cash assistance following the devastating earthquake. Photo by Check Zabala
For Jessa, one of those priorities was a promise she had made to her son.
“One of the first things I will buy is a new pair of shoes for him,” she said, smiling. “I know he will be happy.”
The assistance will also help her continue repairs on their home and restock supplies for her small store, helping the family get back on their feet.
For Jessa, the support meant more than financial relief. It eased a burden she had carried since the earthquake and gave her room to focus on moving forward.
Jessa receives multi-purpose cash assistance from ChildFund, support that will help her family address their most urgent recovery needs. Photo by Check Zabala
This is not the first time ChildFund has stood beside Jessa’s family.
In October 2023, a fire destroyed their home, leaving them with almost nothing.
“We lost everything except the clothes we were wearing,” Jessa recalled. “The support we received helped us rebuild and start again.”
When a fire destroyed their home, support connected to Carl John’s ChildFund sponsorship helped Jessa and her family begin rebuilding their lives. For Jessa, it was a reminder that they were not facing the crisis alone.
When another disaster struck, support came once more.
With a smile on her face, Jessa looks forward to sharing the good news with her son: the school shoes he has patiently waited for are finally within reach. Photo by Check Zabala
Soon, Carl John will have the pair of shoes he had quietly waited for.
“I know he will be happy,” Jessa said.
Most people will never know the story behind those shoes. They will simply see a boy on his way to school.
But Jessa will remember the months she spent saving for them, the earthquake that nearly put them out of reach, and the relief of finally being able to keep a promise to her son.
For a mother doing everything she can to raise a child on her own, that simple moment is worth more than words can say.
Jessa joins her father, mother, and brother as they prepare to fetch Carl John from school and surprise him with the news that means so much to them all. Photo by Check Zabala
