Author: Guest *

In 2014, Goducate started its community development work in Lemery through the Goducate Tent School Project. The tent-schools were erected as substitutes for classrooms damaged by Typhoon Yolanda (see blogs Jan 17 and 29, 2014).

Lemery is a fourth-class municipality in the province of Iloilo, Philippines.  The tent-school project was followed by Jr. CDW (Community Development Workers) Club for elementary students, and Basketball Clinics for young men.  This year, local leaders trained and mentored by Goducate are running the community-development programmes.

The Jr. CDW Club in Benjamin Aguilar Elementary School (BAES) is already in its fourth year.  The regular club meeting held in July to kick off a progam to build future leaders was flooded by 48 active and excited pupils.

Junnel Palma, 22 years old, was one of the beneficiaries of the sports clinic held in Lemery.  He has also been on several leadership-training programs at the Goducate Training Center in Iloilo, where he has taken part in the center’s other activities. He is now the coach and the leader of Goducate basketball teams in Lemery, overseeing weekly basketball clinics in two barangays (villages), and training young people there to be competitive and well-rounded players.

 

In May this year, Junnel was one of the community youth who helped out in teaching children through Goducate’s Vacation Barangay School Program.

One of the communities that benefited from the Vacation Barangay School was Barangay Batiti, Concepcion Iloilo.  The weeklong child-friendly program was held at the home of Mrs. Cheryll Obillos, a mother of 4.   Nanay Cheryll, as she is called, has been blind since she was 4 years old.  Yet Nanay Cheryll manages her home efficiently, and her positive outlook and deep sense of family spirit have made her respected by her community.  Nevertheless, she and her husband do not earn enough for their children’s school supplies.

Junnel told his basketball players about the needs of Nanay Cheryll’s family. The players responded immediately and cheerfully by donating groceries and school supplies.  They also approached their classmates to donate clothing and toys.  The players personally handed the items to the family in June. The players’ sense of fulfillment was expressed by Junnel, who said, “The most satisfying work is helping others.”

Goducate’s motto of helping others to help themselves, and getting people to help others after they have been helped, has clearly rubbed off on this group of young people.

 

*Our guest writer is Joanna De Leon, a community development worker

Project B.O.N.G. (Bringing Order to the Nemesis of Gangs) 2040 is a programme launched by the Iloilo City Police Office to address problems faced by youth gangs. The aim is to turn these gang members into good citizens.

Goducate has become a partner of Project B.O.N.G. Goducate addresses the physical and emotional needs of the gang members through regular basketball sessions, small-group counselling, and camps.

The first camp for the first batch of gangs was held on April 27-28 at Goducate Training Center (GTC) in Iloilo. It was attended by 53 gang members and 15 policemen. After a series of regular meetings, different gangs united to form a group called United Gangsters of Iloilo.  They elected officers to ensure continuity of the program.  The group hopes to see its members completely changed, to become productive members of society.

The second Project B.O.N.G. Youth Camp was held on July 15-16, again in GTC.  The theme of the camp was “Building the Youth for a Better Tomorrow”.  It was attended by 84 youths who make up the 4 major gangs in Iloilo City.  22 individuals from Iloilo City Police Office and from the Women and Children Protection Desk also attended the event.  Apart from games and small-group counselling, the campers attended lectures that were designed to address the issues that youths are facing—for example, drug addiction, peer relationships and pressures, and moral nourishment and growth.

PC Supt Cesar Hawthorne Binag, Regional Director of the Police Regional Office 6, graced the event and gave his inspirational message. He encouraged and connected with the youth by sharing his personal journey on achieving his dreams and career goals.

The elected officers of the United Gangsters of Iloilo took their oath during the camp.

The feedback from the campers was good, because they felt empowered.  The fellowship between gangs was restored because friendship between them was established.  The president of the United Gangsters of Iloilo said, “I support this camp because it’s a great help for us, especially to the minors.”

*Our guest writer is Joanna De Leon, a community development worker

 

To live up to its motto of “helping others help themselves”, Goducate trains community leaders to become community trainers.

A Trainer’s Training for the School Leadership Program (SLP) and Health Information Drive (HID) was held in Sorsogon City on June 20-24.  Sorsogon City is the capital of the province of Sorsogon, in the Bicol Region, which is located at the southeastern stretch of Luzon, the largest island in the Philippines. 37 church leaders, both adults and youth, underwent the training.

The participants were taught how to help youths face issues on drug addiction and teenage pregnancy and how to tap on their leadership potential.  Moreover, they were also trained to conduct Health Information Drives focusing on topics of hypertension, diabetes, and benefits of Moringa olifera (Malunggay) for adults.  Proper hygiene for children was also included, to benefit children in villages.

The best part of the training was the practical work, when the participants, guided by Goducate Community Development Trainers, trained school leaders in 2 high schools in Sorsogon.  It was followed by health information drives in four barangays (villages).  The participants were also assisted in coming up with a strategic plan to bring help to the whole province of Sorsogon.

 

Goducate is expanding its help to more regions in the Philippines by partnering with various groups and training their leaders, so that the work gets multiplied.

*Our guest writer is Joanna De Leon, a community development worker