OUR WORK
The scope of TCI’s work reflects the reality, scale, and ever-evolving nature of the issues that children, youth, and families face in the Temporary Housing area of Barangay 105, Tondo.
TCI’s work is organized into two main areas: Crisis Intervention and Community Programs.
Crisis Intervention is at the core of what we do.
Our intervention is organised around three specialist units:
The Community Social Work Unit (CSW) is embedded in the community, identifying children and youth living in or experiencing dangerous situations and/or in need of urgent support. The unit builds relationships with key community members, assesses referrals, and acts as a rapid response mechanism when a child needs immediate safety (e.g. medical care or protection from ongoing abuse). They also operates a small Day Center providing a safe space for approximately 10 young children daily who would otherwise be left unattended, and liaises with schools to enrol children and monitor attendance with sudden drops serving as early warning indicators of family crisis. The CSW unit facilitates healthcare services in partnership with OdoVita, supporting social work for healthcare cases and accompanying patients to hospitals.
The Child Protection Unit (CPU) works with individual victims of sexual abuse, providing emotional and legal support and ensuring the safety of each child. The unit liaises with police, hospitals, and other organisations to raise awareness and support victims through legal processes.
The Alternative Care Unit (ACU) works with children who are experiencing or at risk of extreme neglect, abandonment, or circumstances requiring separation from their current caregivers. The team identifies the most appropriate alternative care option: extended family, relocation outside Manila, foster care, temporary shelter, or long-term residential care, and supports their integration developing reintegration plans where possible. The ACU also operates a Crisis Center where children at immediate risk can receive safety and care for up to six months while longer-term solutions are developed.
Effective protection from abuse requires active community participation — no single organisation can do it alone. Therefore, community programs are key to supplement our core child protection efforts.
The Women’s Forum is a platform for dialogue, collaboration, and collective action to empower women in Aroma — giving them a voice in the community and with local authorities, creating income-generating opportunities, and building a cohort of mothers who understand their rights and those of their children.
The Youth Clubs are built around a youth-defined North Star: “We are a strong community of young people building the skills we need to make good decisions and improve our lives.” We work with youth from the community currently enrolled in grade 11 who are interested in pursuing further education or livelihood and employment opportunities.
Recognising that the lack of birth certificates is a major barrier to accessing services, TCI supports children and youth in securing legal documentation and advocates with relevant authorities to reduce systemic barriers. Working with partners and the City of Manila, we support families to independently apply and promote hospital-based deliveries to enable timely issuance of birth certificates within 29 days from birth.
