Bill Felisan was nine years old when police officers caught him stealing a kilo of coconut meat at a dockyard in Cebu City, a metropolis in Central Philippines.

The helpless, frightened child thought his life was about to end. “The police sent us to this desolate place. We thought we were going to be finished off, because there were no other people around us.”

The “desolate place” where Bill was taken to was actually a center, Community Scouts, now assisted by UNICEF. It was an experiment of the Cebu City government. Leaders, social workers, and child rights advocates campaigned that to prevent children from becoming criminals, the first thing to do is to keep them away from a jail crammed with adult offenders.

Bill received counseling and life skills training and in turn gave community service. He went to school and became a police officer. All these, he said, were because he was given a second-chance.

With your help, there will be more Kuya Bill's in the future.

UNICEF can continue to work with partners all over the Philippines to help Filipino children feel the love and care they need. With your help, UNICEF can continue to assist centers like the Community Scouts of Cebu City.

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Help us save more lives of children.