Kristel – Page 2 – Goducate … Go And Educate!

2013-06-282013-06-29

Goducate holds summer music workshop in Laguna

The Goducate Music Department in Laguna, Philippines, conducted a 1-week summer workshop at the end of May for the young people in Laguna and in Cavite( the province next to Laguna) in our music program. 31 youths from Laguna and 12 from Cavite took part in the workshop.

During the week the participants received intensive training in whichever orchestral instrument they are specializing in. Some were there for voice training. The trainers were the members of the senior orchestra. The workshop ended with a little concert.

Music has been an important part of the Goducate program in the Philippines. It has helped keep children off the streets, given them training in qualities such as discipline, perseverance, and teamwork, and offered some of them a chance to obtain scholarships to university or the earn some pocket money by playing at various events. The more accomplished musicians offer their free time to go to the various villages to train the younger ones every week—a case of not just helping themselves, but also helping others.

Performance by members of the senior orchestra

2013-06-042013-06-05

Goducate helps people earn a living through making garments

At the end of last year, when Goducate in Laguna, the Philippines, started helping people find work making garments, there were only three women in the area who had their own sewing machines, and they could not meet the demand from the factory for school uniforms. Subsequently, we bought four high-speed sewing machines, which were allocated to others who could sew, for them to make uniforms.

Recently we bought two more—a high-speed machine, as well as a “5-threads” machine, which can be used for more elaborate work than school uniforms. This time the beneficiary is a man. He used to work in Saudi Arabia making garments, and now wishes to remain in the Philippines with his family.

We will be buying a few more machines, which will be used for training purposes. We have been helping people who were badly affected by the floods caused last August by the severe monsoons known as “typhoon” Habagat. The plan is to train some of the women affected by these floods to earn a livelihood through sewing.

Dresses and basketball uniforms made by Mr M

2013-04-302013-05-04

Children in Laguna show their skill at playing the recorder

On April 26 the Goducate music department in Laguna Province, the Philippines, held a recorder concert at the Goducate Music Learning Center. The performers were some 50 children aged about 6-12 from 10 villages around the town of Bay who are learning to play the recorder. 14 Goducate volunteers go out to the various villages to teach a total of 73 children. The concert was a means of identifying those children who might be skilled enough to learn some other musical instrument.

The three days preceding the concert were spent on intensive rehearsals, which the children really enjoyed.

The Goducate music program in Laguna has been a means of keeping children off the streets, helping them to earn school and university scholarships through their musical ability, giving those in the orchestra a chance to earn pocket money through public performances at various events, and along the way teaching all the children qualities such as discipline, diligence, patience, and teamwork. The volunteer teachers are those who have benefited from the program, and who are not helping others to help themselves.

Some of the students with their teachers