SMEIDFI
SMEIDFI
Vision
A society transformed in Jesus Christ where there is fullness of life for all beings.
Mission
Sharing in the church’s mission of reconciliation, we commit ourselves to facilitate the empowerment of children and youth, girls and women Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs), families and communities to be life-bearers towards integral transformation
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St. Mary Euphrasia Integrated Development Foundation Incorporated (SMEIDFI) is the development arm of the Religious of the Good Shepherd of the Philippine Province. We work towards the protection and development of women and children; justice, peace, and integrity of creation.
For us and our mission partners, shepherding takes different forms. Everyday in many parts of the country, we run shelters – homes – for women and girls who have been victims of abuse. Some of us do preventive and advocacy work day and at night. We economically train women and their families, giving them opportunities for alternative livelihood. We work with government agencies and networks to combat human trafficking and abuse.
In circumstances of disasters, we mobilize our sisters, staff, and volunteers to bring aid to where it is needed, often arriving first and leaving last. We establish our presence in red light districts, in the slums, in the mountains with the indigenous peoples, in places where the presence of the Good Shepherd is most needed.
Currently, SMEIDFI has 14 agencies, including centers, indigenous people’s ministry, urban poor pastoral work, and migrant center, spreading the message of love and compassion of Jesus the Good Shepherd.
Member Agencies
Welcome House Paco
Programs: Protection, Prevention, Community Outreach
ADDRESS: 1641 Zamora Street 1007 Paco, Manila
CONTACT: (02) 563 6363 / (02) 564 0728
Towards a Violence-Free Communities
Welcome House Paco, established in April 1970, is recognized as the first crisis intervention center in the country. After serving hundreds of women, children, and families in its crisis intervention program, it has transitioned into providing empowering services to individuals, families, and communities toward building violence-free communities in its project areas in Manila and Quezon City.
Heart of Mary Villa
QUEZON CITY
Programs: Child care, Healing and Recovery to survivors of Gender-Based Violence
ADDRESS: 1043 Good Shepherd Convent, Aurora Blvd, Quezon City
CONTACT: (02) 913 0875 / (02) 913 1432 (fax)
She Heals
In 1953, “Charter House” was opened as an immediate response to the plight of young girls who suddenly found themselves pregnant out of wedlock and alone. Initially located in a house across the Quezon City convent such young women and their babies were welcomed and provided shelter. After four years, a more permanent house was constructed in Malabon through the generosity of Archbishop Rufino Santos, archbishop of Manila. Heart of Mary Villa became canonically established in May 1957. Perennial flooding was the main problem in Malabon but not until 2009 when Typhoon Ondoy struck National Capital Region and nearby provinces, Heart of Mary Villa was moved to Quezon City convent.
In 2022, HMV expanded its home to other children, girls, and women who are in need of a safe space for their healing and recovery.
Bukid Kabataan
GENERAL TRIAS, CAVITE
Programs: Residential care for girls who were survivors of multiple abuses, neglected, abandoned, and former street dwellers
ADDRESS: Barrio del Fuego, Barangay San Francisco, General Trias, Cavite
On their way to healing
Originally, Bukid Kabataan was just a component of the Morning Glory Program (MGP) of Caritas Manila, the social welfare and development ministry of the Archdiocese of Manila. Then headed by Sr. Mary Lydia Kalaw, RGS, the MGP was created as a response to the growing number of children lured to prostitution. The increasing number of young street dwellers and the urgent need to put up a shelter for them in a long-term program paved the way for the foundation of Bukid Kabataan. Started in 1991, Bukid Kabataan (Youth Farm) caters to girls who are survivors of multiple abuses, neglected, abandoned, and former street dwellers. Its programs and services are directed towards healing of the girls’ emotional and psychological hurts and pains while addressing their holistic development, enabling them to become productive members of their family and society.
Hablondawani Integrated Services for Girls and Women in Crisis
NAGA CITY, CAMARINES SUR
Programs: Residential care for girls who were survivors of abuses
ADDRESS: C/of Our Lady of Peñafrancia Parish, 4400 Naga City
An offering of hope
HABLONDAWANI Integrated Services for Girls and Women in Crisis is a home for girls and women at high risk and vulnerable to exploitation because of their conditions in life such as marginalized, made by poor systems, and domestic violence. HABLONDAWANI is a Bicol word which means Rainbow , this name was inspired from the biblical story of Noah and the deluge and God’s covenant with the arc of the rainbow that LIFE takes precedence above any other thing.
Villa Maria Good Shepherd Sisters Inc. (VMGSSI)
Programs: Crisis Intervention, Prevention, Protection, Outreach to women and girls active in prostitution
ADDRESS: Cebu City, Cebu
Upholding the rights of the girls and women who are victims of human trafficking and prostitution
The prevalence of abuse, exploitation, and human trafficking remains a pervasive and systemic issue worldwide affecting millions of women, and children. For many years, VMGSSI has actively contributed to the empowerment of abused and trafficked women and implemented preventive work in various communities in Cebu City.
The Good Shepherd Welcome House (WH) serves as Villa Maria’s initial assessment and drop-in center. It provides temporary shelter for women and girls who have been trafficked and are in situations of prostitution. The Good Shepherd Home (GSH) is a long-term residential program for women and girls who are survivors of human trafficking, and abuse including online sexual exploitation of children and those who exited from prostitution. Lastly, the Good Shepherd Aftercare (GSHEART) provides a holistic and empowering aftercare program towards reintegration and transformation to the mainstream of society.
Good Shepherd- Cagayan De Oro
CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY, MISAMIS ORIENTAL
Programs: Protection, Prevention, Healing and recovery
ADDRESS: 200 Blas Chavez Velez Street, APOVEL, Bulua, 9000 Cagayan de Oro City
As a port city and a vibrant educational center, Cagayan de Oro was fast becoming a magnet for many young girls and women lured or forced into prostitution. To respond to this problem of sexual and economic exploitation of women, rooted in poverty, the Sisters started a ministry to women. This was concretized with the establishment of the Good Shepherd Counseling Center, located at the Archdiocese compound. Today, GS-CDO intervenes to the needs of the children, youth, and women who are at risk and/or survivors of gender-based violence through its pastoral care program.
Good Shepherd
Home for Hope
(Balay Paglaum sa Maayong Magbalantay)
PAGADIAN CITY, ZAMBOANGA DEL SUR
Programs: Residential care, education, advocacy
ADDRESS: Purok 2, Brgy. Manga, Pagadian City
A place where healing and reconciliation with
self can happen.
With support from Homes 4 Hope, Balay was established as a response to the need for shelter home for women and girls in Pagadian, through the invitation of Bishop Cabajar, CSsR, DD. It is a refuge for women and girls in difficult situation while undergoing healing and empowering programs to help them move on with life.
Mountain Maid Training Center
BAGUIO CITY, BENGUET
Programs: Education assistance, Crisis Intervention, Counselling, Community development
ADDRESS: 15 Gibraltar Road, 2600 Baguio City
MMTC is social enterprise in Baguio City that aims to empower young people to break the cycle of poverty through education. With Cordilleras as one of the most economically challenged areas of the country and believing in the transformative power of education to break the cycle of poverty, MMTC chiefly supports youth from the six indigenous tribes of the Cordilleras: Abra, Benguet, Kalinga, Apayao, Mt. Province, and Ifugao. The income received from their work in this large food processing center enables many young women and men to complete a technical or college education.
Headstart Learning Center
SILANGAN, QUEZON CITY
Programs: Early childhood education, Community development
ADDRESS: c/of 1043 Good Shepherd Convent, Aurora Blvd, Quezon City
A better start for a better future
In 2006, Sr. Mary James Wilson together with some ladies belonging from the Lay Affiliates developed a 5-year development program for Bagong Silangan under the aegis of St. Paul University’s Community Extension Program. So near it is to Payatas, once Metro Manila’s dumpsite, that a once barren, empty lot has come alive when RGS and Lay Affiliates decided to transform it into a place of hope. It is here that a free day-care center was constructed, catering to some 100 enrollees annually.
Bahay Pastulan
TAGAYTAY CITY, CAVITE
Programs: Community development
ADDRESS: Sta. Rosa Highway, Tagaytay City
Promoting person-centered business ethics
Bahay Pastulan started in 1996 by Sr. Mary Joseph Olaguer, RGS after seeing many ambulant vendors outside the convent premises who were selling rice cakes and other food to people who come to the convent for retreats. With an PHP 80,000 loan and coconut being abundant in the area, they ventured for their first product: buko pie. Not until all nuns in the convent were satisfied with its taste and quality, buko pie became its best seller. Later on, Sr. Joseph invited more beneficiaries in the production and over the years Bahay Pastulan offered a variety high quality products. It has a training center where beneficiaries, mostly poor women, are trained and eventually hired giving them opportunity to provide decent life to their children. Eventually, theyare capacitated to develop their own product, manage their own production, and supply products to the store.
Good Shepherd Home Legazpi
LEGAZPI CITY, ALBAY
Programs: Crisis intervention, Community development, Educational assistance, Advocacy
ADDRESS: Gov. Forbes Street, San Roque, 4500 Legazpi City
Championing women’s rights
Good Shepherd Home Legazpi started operating in the 1990 working with women and girls in poor communities in Albay, Bicol Region, Philippines. It has provided direct services for the protection and healing of survivors of violence; legal services and psychosocial and therapeutic interventions for the restoration of their dignity and social functioning through the residential care program. Its core program focuses on community-based integrated services for the eradication of gender-based violence.
Center for Overseas Workers Davao
DAVAO CITY, DAVAO
Programs: Crisis intervention, Community development, Advocacy
ADDRESS: 215 Camachile Street, 8000 Matina, Davao City
Envisioning a society where those who are forced to seek jobs in other countries can exercise their rights.
COW Davao is committed to the empowerment of overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) from poor communities of Davao and surrounding areas, through community based organizing, training and socio-economic programs. OFWs and their immediate families are enabled to develop their capacities in decision-making and taking individual and collective action for their families and communities’ well-being, especially in safeguarding of Christian family values, sound financial and enterprise management and protection of workers’ rights.
Indigenous People’s Ministry
KALILID, SAN LUIS, AGUSAN DEL SUR
Programs: Educational assistance, Crisis intervention, Community development, Advocacy
ADDRESS: Doña Flavia, San Luis, 8511 Agusan del Sur
For sustainable development and fullness of life.
Started in 1978 as response of RGS to the request of the Diocese of Butuan to provide pastoral care to indigenous peoples (lumads) and their environment. Programs evolved and now continues to provide graded literacy program to two lumad schools, scholarships for lumads for highschool upto college, advocacy, and sustainable agriculture.
Priority Issues
We work zealously with women and children, especially those who are trafficked, forced to migrate and oppressed by abject poverty…to support projects for economic justice, and confront unjust systems. (29th Congregational Chapter)