On September 10 the Governor of Iloilo Province, Philippines, visited the Goducate Training Center – the place where Goducate community workers for poor rural communities will be trained. Continue reading “Governor of Iloilo visits Goducate Training Center”
Laguna Model Farm Takes Steps to Start Demo
The model farm in Laguna, Philippines was a month-old operation when I visited it with the directors of Goducate in August. Its purpose is to demonstrate to the poor to produce vegetables for their own consumption. The first thought that came to mind, as I listened to the Goducate farm worker who showed me around, was that this place is a living lab. I noticed that each vegetable plot and tray of earthworms in the vermi-composting project has been tagged and labeled with information. The purpose for doing this is to improve the production yields at the farm.
The farm is now looking at ways to improve the yields of organic fertilizers by experimenting with cow manure, decaying vegetables and banana stalks, or as a blended mixture, in the vermi-composting project. Vegetables such as pek chye, long beans, okra (also known as lady’s fingers) have been planted. It will take a few weeks more for the harvest. I was told that a friend of Goducate, who is a plant pathologist, had also recommended that lemon grass – a natural pest repellant – be planted along the perimeter of the vegetable plots. Mini controlled experiments will also be carried out to determine the optimal amount of organic fertilizer to be used on each kind of vegetable. Also, the vegetables will be living proof of the organic fertilizer’s benefits to buyers.
The launch of these livelihood projects at the model farm is encouraging. To me, the demonstration of what works is important as it will benefit the poor when they produce vegetables in their own backyard. In my limited understanding, I believe the poor would often like to see results quicker than the rich because survival can often be a daily challenge. So, there is simply no room for them to take on what-does-not work. And this is why the demonstration of what works at the farm becomes important.
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One boy’s dream in Laguna
This is a story of a boy in Laguna which will probably remain untold had the Goducate team not visited him at his home. One would have thought that Ian Mendoza is 12 years old simply because of his child-like appearance. But he is actually 18 years old. Ian suffers from meningioma – a non-aggressive cancer of the central nervous system. A slow-growing brain tumor – probably the size of a tennis ball – has inhibited the production of growth hormones, which invariably stunted his development as a child. Ian lost his sight in both eyes when he was 15 years old, when the optic nerves in his eyes were compressed as a result of the tumor. According to his mother, doctors had ruled out removing the tumor surgically as it is a highly risky procedure.
In spite of his condition, Ian was anything but downcast or defeated. He struck us as someone who has great contentment, and one simply refuses to give up. He wants to develop his talents in music and fulfill his dream of playing the flute in the orchestra. Two of Ian’s younger brothers – Matthew and Emmanuel are now playing for the orchestra formed by Goducate’s Learning Centre in Laguna to train musically talented young people to play at special events. Such events can potentially become a source of income for the musicians as fees can be raised from their performances. As for now, Ian plays a recorder to hone his skills and he looks forward to the day when he can play a flute, given through a kind donation.