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GoMusic has the potential to reach out to the whole of the Philippines

On April 17, Goducate held a recital in Camp Goducate Laguna, a year after the previous one on Feb 27, 2021. It had been preceded by a 3-month workshop. The recital was attended by 67 performers, as well as their guardians andorphans/musicians from the Rose of Sharon House of Friendship as the observers. The recital was open to everyone, but the youth and beneficiaries of the feeding program were prioritized.

Music was one of the earliest programs that Goducate introduced in the Philippines because it was a good way of reaching out to out-of-school youth.

When I took charge of the music program in 2018, I planned to expand it to the community. The aim was not only to teach music, but also to improve the lives of students and teachers through character building and home visits.

In 2019, the program, called GoMusic, was brought to Masaya Elementary School, then also to Masaya Junior High School, where we were given a room for our program, but the pandemic stopped the program in March 2020. The music program at the two schools has not resumed because the school facilities are opened only for temporary limited face-to-face classes.

GoMusic did resume in February 2021 but only for a 2-week workshop and then a recital. The intention was to divert the youths’ anxiety due to the pandemic into an interest in music, and thus to help them unwind. However, the program was held inconsistently throughout the year because of changing community quarantine levels.

67 music students took part in this year’s workshop and recital.  48 of them were new music students; meaning, they were beginners, unlike those who took part in the previous workshop who were students with some basic knowledge of music. Of the new students, 14 came from Janiuay, Iloilo, 16 came from Goducate’s feeding program, 6 were children of Goducate staff, and 12 were youth from the community (specifically from different Barangays of Bay, Los Baños, and Calauan, Laguna, which are the outreach areas of the Pastors, and where feeding programs are being conducted). The students from Janiuay were already learning to play the guitar, but did not know how to play the recorder. So we started them on recorder lessons in February. They are taught via Zoom. While the online tutorial is being held, local facilitators oversee and guide the students.

For the rest of this year, GoMusic aims to take on the challenge of bringing the hybrid program (i.e., providing music workshops and recitals both face-to-face and online via Zoom) to the rest of the country.

In the GoMusic classes being held online in a church in Iloilo, the students focus mainly on the guitar and recorder, whereas the students in Laguna focus on the recorder and violin. The difference in focus is due merely to availabilities of instruments and teachers in the two areas. In addition, the recorder is easier to teach online.

The next music workshop and recital, to be held on August 27, is expected to have 110 participants (80 recorder players and 30 choir members). Sixty of the expected recorder players are beneficiaries of the feeding program in Laguna. The 20 from Iloilo will be tutored online. Of the singers, 15 will come from the Rose of Sharon House of Friendship, and 15 are beneficiaries of the feeding program. 

*Our guest writer is Jonathan Luceno - Director of GoMusic

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Children gain weight with Goducate’s feeding program

Goducate’s feeding program began in a very poor area in Laguna, Philippines, where some children had meals only about three times a week. The Covid-19 situation added to the financial burden for these poor families.

393 children from 10 poor areas of Laguna were included in the feeding program. They were first weighed in June 2021, when 133 kids were found to be underweight for their age. Goducate fed these 133 children thrice a week, while the others were fed once a week.

These 133 underweight children had their body mass index (BMI) monitored every other until December. By July 33 of them had an increase in their BMI but it was still below normal for their age.

Initially we delivered food to their homes, but when the Covid-19 alert level was lowered, the children went to a central place in the community for their feeds. The head of the feeding program organized the purchase of the ingredients. The food was cooked by our volunteer staff, by some of the mothers and some of the young people in the community.

In areas where there is no central place for food preparation, meals are wrapped individually and sent to the children.

When weighed again in December, 103 of the 133 underweight children had reached their target BMI. The other 30 had gained some weight but not enough to reach the BMI for their age.

We did not specifically collect data on illnesses, but our general observations indicate that the children seemed to have become more active. The mothers have also told us that their children do not fall ill so often and have become more active.

We involved parents through talks and small-group discussions, and there are plans to train them in hygiene and first aid along the lines of the Health Information Drive (see blog of April 17, 2020). Partnering with us were members of the Philippine National Police who helped to teach children proper methods of wearing facemask and hand washing. They also helped our workers to serve food, and sometimes provided the children with biscuits.

Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, we are hoping to provide the children with hygiene kits that include facemasks and alcohol.

Goducate is now planning to start a feeding program in 7 new areas, for 516 children, 214 of whom are underweight for their age.

We are also praying that the areas in which we are conducting our feeding programs will have proper toilets and washing stations to help stop the spread of hygiene-related diseases.

*Our guest writer is Gemma Abrenilla, a staff member at Camp Goducate, Laguna

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Goducate starts new project in Laguna

In December 2021, a generous sponsor purchased, for Goducate, a 1.1-hectare plot of land at Morning Star, Barangay Mabacan Calauan, Laguna. This land is suitable for agricultural activities such as farming, and it has the potential to become a good community center because it is near where the people live. In addition, it could be developed as a resort or a place for special events because of the adjacent beautiful and refreshing scenery.

Work started on building a little nipa hut in January 2022 as a temporary shelter for those working on the land. Also being constructed is a staff house for the family who will be in charge of the property. A water pump has also been set up as a temporary source of water for the people staying there and for the vegetables and ornamental plants that are being grown on the land. This water pump is also serving some residents in the area who otherwise have had to travel a long distance to obtain their daily supply of water.

Goducate is starting to connect with the people in the area and to create positive ties with them through community projects, such as the feeding program and youth life talks.

*Our guest writer is Annaliza Espanola, a Goducate volunteer staff member.