Author: Joanna de Leon-Cudal *

On December 12 Goducate helped the Philippines Department of Social Welfare & Development (DSWD), Guimaras Province, with a family program designed to address the needs of fathers in leading the home. 32 fathers enthusiastically committed to build better homes through leading their families responsibly.
This partnership with the DSWD in Guimaras had started earlier, with programs for youth against drug addiction, teenage pregnancy, and HIV/AIDS.

Guimaras is an island province in the Philippines located in the region of Western Visayas. It is situated in the Panay Gulf, between the islands of Panay and Negros.
DSWD approached Goducate for help with running the youth programs and giving the lectures. Goducate produced fun, relevant, and interactive programs to address these issues. It also trained our local partners to facilitate small-group discussions and the games. The youth were informed about the pressing concerns of the topics under discussion, and were also given opportunities to make right decisions for themselves.

Five similar programs were conducted in different areas in Guimaras in the last quarter of 2017, and attended by a total of approximately 500 young people.

Goducate is one with the government in believing that the country will change for the better if families are transformed holistically.

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

The Municipality of San Miguel Local Government Unit partnered Goducate Training Center in conducting a Seminar Workshop on Reproductive Health and Youth Development on October 27. The event was held at Goducate Training Center, San Miguel, Iloilo.

Entitled “Kwentong Kabataan” (Stories of the Youth), the program was an initiative of the Rural Health Unit led by Dr. Mary Jane Jimeno to increase the awareness of youth about reproductive health and  to enhance their leadership skills.  All the 24 barangays (villages) of the municipality were well represented by the 58 young participants. The aim of the program was to make the participants Youth Health Advocates.

 

Goducate facilitated the entire event, using an enjoyable approach. The program was packed with interactive lectures on Good and Effective leadership, Premarital Sex & Its Consequences, HIV Aids & Sexually Transmitted Diseases, and Drug Addiction & Substances Abuse.  After every lecture, the participants were divided into small groups for discussions and counselling.

Participants were challenged to be proactive and to share what they learned with other young people in their area. They were taught how to do strategic planning in order to effectively conduct advocacy programs in their own barangays.  All the participants were excited and determined to be Youth Health Advocate.  Together with Goducate and the municipality, they believe that they can save lives through education.

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