"My name is Chester and I live in Cebu City, Philippines. I am the vice president of the High Peer Support Group. I would like to help other children and spread awareness about their rights. One of the goals of our support group is to prevent children from becoming victims of child abuse and exploitation."
"My name is Chester and I live in Cebu City, Philippines. I am the vice president of the High Peer Support Group.
I would like to help other children and spread awareness about their rights as children. One of the goals of our support group is to prevent children from becoming victims of child abuse and exploitation.
The biggest problem I see in the community where I live is the presence of child abuse and exploitation. Many children were abused and neglected by their parents. In addition, many children in my neighborhood do not attend school and are denied their right to development."
"I hope one day to see a neighborhood where children are not afraid. It would be good to see children laughing, playing and enjoying being children.
What I am most proud of is that I have been able to overcome my fears and gain self-confidence by helping other children, not only in my neighborhood, but also in other neighborhoods. It is my hope to continue to help other children and continue my fight for children's rights and protection.
In the future, I would like to become an engineer; I am currently studying to make that dream come true."
The number of Filipino children sexually exploited online has tripled in the past 3 years and continues to grow rapidly. For example, children are forced into sexual acts through social media. They are unaware of the online dangers beforehand or have to earn their money this way due to poverty. This traumatic experience can lead to developmental problems, negative self-image, depression and even suicide.
Terre des Hommes protects vulnerable children so they can develop in a safe environment. With our new action plan, we want to prevent online sexual exploitation of children in the Philippines.