Bidlisiw Foundation, Inc. was established in March 1989 as social development NGO based in Cebu City by 8 women together with InterAide, a French NGO, who gave the name “Bidlisiw” an old Visayan term for “rays of the rising sun”, a symbol of hope. It was registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) as a non-stock, non-profit corporation on September 15, 1989. Starting in 1994, Bidlisiw became a Filipino-managed NGO. Bidlisiw’s development work focuses on helping urban poor families, particularly the informal settlers in the cities of Cebu, Mandaue and Talisay. With trained and committed staff and workers, it has implemented and successfully completed various programs/projects on health and nutrition, education, vocational training and livelihood. Bidlisiw maintains activities and learning centers in the target communities where area-based activities are held for cost-efficiency and accessibility to target participants/groups. It is an operating social development organization. Its main office is located in Mabini St., Looc, Mandaue City, Cebu. The foundation has 6 regular staff, 15 project-based staff, 24 volunteers and 7 members of the Board of Trustees.
Its purposes, among others, are “to improve quality of family and community life among Filipino children and their families; to help the most disadvantaged children and families among the poor communities; and to provide access, opportunities and hope for the most marginalized children, families and communities.
Bidlisiw has four (4) major programs in its present operations namely:
1. Child and Family Healing, Recovery and Re-Integration (CFHRR) – Guided Group Interaction; Self Discovery & Actualization Session for Children; Primary Caregiver’s Enhancement Training; Intensive Family Follow-Up; Psycho-education for Parents; and Learning Sessions for Children and Young People.
2.Sustaining Education Pursuit for Children in Need of Special Protection (CNSP) – Education Support Augmentation for In-school Children and 8-month Review and Tutorial Classes for Out-of-School Children.
3. Enhancing Self and Wage Employment Opportunities (ESWEO) – Skills Acquisition Training, Job Hunting Enhancement Training; Access to Company Employment; and Family Based Skills Enhancement Training.
4.Social Mobilization and Advocacy – Formation and Training of Peer Support Groups; Formation and Training of Community Watch Groups; Strengthening Support for Barangay Based Institutions; and Lobbying of Child Protection Related Issues.