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2011-07-19

Goducate Training Center trains youth workers

Goducate Training Center (GTC) in Iloilo, Philippines, is now busy holding youth camps regularly. During the Philippine summer months, youth camps/gatherings are held almost weekly. Many of the youth are transported in from poorer communities to be trained in discipline, team-work, confidence, leadership skills, life-skillls, etc.

These activities not only train these youth in many useful life-skills but also provide practical training for our GTC trainees on how to run youth activities. Presently, a pilot batch of over 20 trainees is undergoing their training in GTC. We hope that several of these initial trainees will stay on to serve as trainers next year – when we plan to
increase our intake of trainees to over 100. We also hope that several of them will be sent overseas (especially to Indonesia) to work with the large number of needy youth in other Asian countries.

This year the rainfall has been unusually heavy at GTC and has somewhat hampered our activities and other training activities (especially our agricultural training). However, learning to hold youth activities in the rain is a useful skill for our trainees as
they learn to help needy Asian youth help themselves – even under difficult conditions.

2011-07-122011-07-13

Goducate’s music program seeks a sound-proof home

Goducate’s music program in Laguna has been very successful in attracting youth to its music programs. Besides learning to play an instrument, the youth learn discipline, teamwork, get an opportunity to earn some income and even music scholarships to get back to school.

Presently 242 children from 11 villages are enrolled in the program. They are taught by 4 Goducate staff. 25 of them are part of the main orchestra and 16 are part of the junior orchestra. 38 of these orchestra members also serve as teachers to the younger ones – fulfilling Goducate’s philosophy that we “teach people to help themselves, and then they go on to help others,” thus creating a movement that we hope will continue to transform the lives of many Filipino youth.

There is no lack of youth who want to join our program. The bottle-neck is the availability of music instruments and a place to play their instruments. Beginners learning to play an instrument do not make music, they make painful noises! Imagine yourself living next door to a energetic group of rookie musicians!!

Goducate has been looking to rent a place in the town of Bay (Laguna) to serve as a place for music practice. With adequate sound proofing, our energetic youth can practice without sending our neighbors crazy.

A place has been identified in the town of Bay (Laguna) that is central enough for the youth to come for their practice sessions. This place can also serve as a place where youth can gather to enjoy wholesome company and learn good moral values.

2011-07-04

New Goducate Center and Music Studio in Talahiban, Laguna, Philippines

Goducate’s music program in Laguna continues to expand, and more and more youth are being motivated to dream and hope through music. Five youth from this program will arrive in Singapore on July 15 on “scholarships” offered through Singaporean violinist Min Lee, who visited Laguna with her team for the filming of Goducate’s music
program for Channel News Asia’s “Once Upon a Village” series on projects being carried out in villages in Asia.

Presently, our music program is reaching 11 villages in Laguna. One of the most successful villages is Talahiban. Recently, we bought a piece of land there to build a Goducate center and “music studio.” The immediate reason why we need a “studio” is because the noise (not music!) from youngsters learning to play musical instruments can be quite unbearable to the neighbors! Another reason is that we hope that in the not-too-distant future our musicians will be good enough for more intensive training in a studio, which could double up as a place where they can give performances.

We look forward to the day when the children of Talahiban will dream BIG dreams – not only in music but also in other worthy professions and pursuits.