ALTRUISTIC Tulay ng Kabataan volunteers Charles and Elise Cruse left their life in the wine-making subregion of Saint-Emilion in France to make sure Filipino children have a brighter future. —CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
Libournais is a famous wine region with beautiful vineyards in the Bordeaux region along the western coast of France, encompassing much of what is referred to as the Right Bank, including the subregions of Saint-Émilion and Pomerol.
This is where Charles Cruse and wife Elise Cruse lived. He was working as a winemaker for Grand Corbin in Saint-Emilion while Elise was working as a teacher for children with special needs. Charles had also previously worked as a winemaker in Cahors in France, as well as in Hungary and even Australia.
But, Elise shares that even if they had a beautiful life—and the best wines—in Bordeaux, something was missing.
They kept thinking about their visit to the Philippines in 2008 when they volunteered to help the Tulay ng Kabataan (TNK) Foundation.
TNK is a nongovernmental organization (NGO) dedicated to saving street children. It was founded in 1998 by a French Jesuit, Jean-Francois Thomas, SJ. Since then, it has been providing street children and/or abandoned children with access to education, health, nutrition and protection. The NGO seeks to provide basic needs for all children, without exception, especially to give back the dignity and smile of the most vulnerable children of Manila.
This is also the NGO that Pope Francis visited during his papal visit to the Philippines in 2015. And just recently, Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle was inducted to the French Legion of Honor, the highest recognition France bestows on its citizens and foreign nationals, with the French government particularly noting Tagle’s support for TNK, which was, after all, established by a French Jesuit.
In 2015—seven years after that fateful visit—Charles and Elise decided to move to the Philippines for good to help Fr. Matthieu Dauchez, the current TNK director. Today, they work full time alongside Fr. Matthieu for these children’s brighter future.
TNK has grown since its humble beginnings in 1998 to have over 150 Filipino employees and six international volunteers. TNK now has 21 centers for children, including 15 centers for children of age seven to 17, two centers for toddlers and a center for children with special needs and disabilities. They also have daycare centers to help mothers who are still nursing their newborns.
They also have a farm in Bataan, opened in 2008, which is used as a rehabilitation center for children who need extra help with their health and psychological needs. Nature as well as farming activities help with the healing process.
Elise shares that TNK supports the children until they complete their studies and are capable of being independent. But, she adds, while they have devoted their lives to helping Filipino street children, for her and Charles, it’s these children who have helped them, giving them true joy.
Elise invites you to visit TNK at the main center in Quezon City and fall in love with the children yourself! I’m sure the dopamine and joy you will receive from interacting with these kids will be much higher, much greater than even the best Bordeaux wines!
Tulay ng Kabataan. 94 Kalayaan Avenue, Barangay Central, Quezon City. Email contact@anak-tnk.org. For inquiries, call landline +632 7358 8126 or mobile 0999 9577688.