 A
Brief HistoryThe Abakadang Kayumanggi Community
Development Foundation (A.K.C.D.F.) is a
non-stock, non-profit, community-based
non-government organization (NGO) that provides
education and nutrition assistance to children of
low-income and underemployed Filipino workers
living in the urban poor communities of Caloocan
and Malabon.
A.K.C.D.F. was
founded by Flordeliza
“Mommy” Galang, a retired
teacher and Guidance Counselor of the Gregorio
Araneta University Foundation (GAUF). Seeing the
plight of most children in the urban poor
community of East Riverside Malabon, most of whom
are not able to go to school due to poverty, she
established the East Riverside
Daycare Center (E.R.D.C.) with the
help of the fundraising efforts of her only son,
nationalist folksinger-songwriter Paul
Galang.
With a meager
amount of two thousand pesos raised through
Paul’s concert, ERDC purchased wood and
nails that were made into its first blackboard,
tables and chairs by willing and able fathers
from the community. The children of these fathers
then became the first 21 students of the daycare
center. Hence, the humble history of ERDC started
in 1988, with Mommy as its first teacher. Up to
her death in 1993, Mommy spent every day of her
life serving the children. She lived with the
principle, “Every Child is my Child”.
In 1998, ERDC
changed its name to AKCDF as it has grown to
serve over seven other urban poor communities
within the cities of Caloocan and Malabon. It has
also expanded its services to cater to education
and livelihood needs of underprivileged children,
women and youth. Its name, Abakadang Kayumanggi
(Brown Alphabet), stands to signify the
institution’s mission of providing education
that gives emphasis to instilling Filipino values
that foster social awareness and concern for
fellow human beings.
Moreover, AKCDF
advances the true ideals of lakas ng mamamayan
(people empowerment) based on the Filipino virtue
of bayanihan or helping each other. People in the
community are organized to take an active role in
the creation of a just, peaceful and humane
society.
Abakadang Kayumanggi
Community Development Foundation, Inc.
21 Camia St., OLVINA Subdivision Bo. Potrero
Malabon 1475 Metro Manila
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