Category: Livelihood Training

To respond to the basic health needs of the communities that we serve through literacy and livelihood programs in Laguna province, Philippines, Goducate partnered with Project Luke Foundation in a medical mission at Goducate campsite on Aug 3. Goducate provided the venue, facilitators, and food for the volunteers, whereas Project Luke Foundation supplied the medical and dental staff, masseurs, medicine, and vitamin supplements.

517 people, ranging from infancy to old age, attended for medical attention, and 35 for dental treatment. They were served by 29 volunteers from Project Luke Foundation, 29 nurses from City of Pasay University, and 39 Goducate helpers. The municipality of Bay also helped by providing tarpaulin sheetings.

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Last year Goducate published a book, “In the Shoes Of a Filipino Child”, in which 30 children in Goducate programs in Laguna, Philippines, wrote about their experiences and their aspirations. These children now have a carrot dangling before them. A Goducate supporter has offered to provide the fees for the tertiary education of any of these children who make it to that level. Three of these children are already benefiting from this offer. They are attending the Laguna State Polytechnic University. Two are studying information technology and one elementary education.

To help the others reach tertiary education, Saturday day tutorial classes for them were started in mid-July. Existing Goducate scholars (university students who are on Goducate scholarships) are the tutors who help the students with whatever subjects they are having difficulty with in school.

On the first Saturday, the students were asked about their dreams, which they wrote down, then read out. Their dreams included becoming a teacher, policeman, flight attendant, and other white-collar jobs.

Goducate hopes that these children will learn to appreciate the importance of an education in realizing their dreams, and that they can use their education to help themselves and others as well.

Goducate in Laguna now has 40 students, mostly mothers, registered in its Alternative Learning System (ALS) program. The group consists of 31 mothers, 4 fathers, and 6 youths. One of the fathers is also learning farming at the Goduate model farm. Some of the youths who were attending the program at the start of the year have now gone back to high school.

The ALS is a Philippines Department of Education ladderized, modular, non-formal education program for those who for whatever reason have not completed their school education. There are uniform lesson modules for all academic subjects, and there are two levels—elementary and secondary (high school).

The classes are held twice weekly at the new Goducate office in Laguna, though not all the students are able to attend regularly. In October all the students will be sitting for their exams, 5 at elementary level and 35 at secondary. Naturally all are hoping to pass, but more importantly all believe that an education will help them in their daily lives.