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Goducate Sabah Holds First Online Youth Camp

To cater to youth stuck at home and no school to attend because of restrictions arising from the Covid-19 pandemic, Goducate conducted its first online youth camp on May 30-31. The camp was for youth in Malaysia, where the government has imposed a Movement Control Order (MCO), and in the Philippines, where there is Enhanced Community Quarantine (CQ).

Over 50 participants, the majority from Sabah, Malaysia, attended the camp, which was titled “Mission Grounded Life: True Keys to Successful Living”. Goducate Philippines volunteers were the speakers for the main topics, which were Smart Use of Technology and Mental Wellness. In the afternoon there were skill-based interactive sessions on topics ranging from basic gardening, personality development, home making, basic home first aid, and sports such as basketball and volleyball. These sessions were led by specialists from the Philippines and facilitators from Goducate Sabah, Malaysia.

Goducate Sabah is aiming to reach out to the youth both in Malaysia and the Philippines, regardless of culture, religious affiliation, and backgrounds, through creating digital platforms and educating our youth to be responsible and productive during this pandemic. The two-day camp was run using the software Zoom, which has breakout sessions that allow participants to be divided into smaller groups for more detailed discussion and interactions.

During this Online Zoom Camp, participants learnt how to make a video, as individuals or as teams, that show what they learned in the camp. There were games and contests too, for the participants, to enjoy and to get to know each other better. Maurelline, one of the youth facilitators shared, “It was a great experience. I was nervous in the beginning but with the guidance of the organizers I was able to do it”.

*Our guest writer is the Goducate Sabah Training Coordinator.

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Goducate Laguna distributes food packs and face shields

Goducate Laguna has distributed 878 food packs during this Covid-19 pandemic. Each pack contains 3 kg rice and some other groceries.

On March 16, the Philippines introduced its Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) to try to limit the spread of Covid-19 by drastically restricting the movement of the population. The ECQ was originally to have ended on April 12, but has since been extended a couple of times in parts of the country. In Calabarzon, the administrative district which covers the province of Laguna, the ECQ has been extended to May 15.

The ECQ has caused loss of income, and also loss of jobs, for many people. Pastors are one group that is affected because when there are no physical Sunday services, offerings drop.

In the last week of March and the first two weeks of April, Camp Goducate Laguna distributed food packs to 383 households in different areas in Laguna, namely, Bay, Calauan and Los Banos. The food packs were also distributed to 301 senior citizens, 51 frontliners (village officials, policemen, and health workers), 60 people with disabilities in Puypuy Bay Laguna, and 83 pastors and life coaches in some parts of Calabarzon.

Distributing food packs

Apart from the food packs, Goducate also distributed pamphlets on the benefits of moringa (malunggay) and how to make moringa powder. Moringa oleifera is a plant widely grown in the Philippines, and its leaves are known to contain many nutrients. Teaching about its health value and how to use it is a program which is part of Goducate’s Health Information Drive. Moringa could be a good alternative source of nutrients during this ECQ because panic buying could mean that vitamins and nutritional supplements are quickly sold out.

Helping out with the distribution of food packs were barangay (village) health workers and officials, members of the police force, pastors, and Goducate scholars.

This food-distribution project was supported by the Meek and Lowly Trust (Singapore), which will also be supporting the distribution of face shields to the Calabarzon area.

Plan for mask distribution

*Our guest writer is Mae Diaz Luceno, staff member in Goducate Laguna.

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Goducate starts third center in the Philippines

Goducate Baguio was launched on March 2. Baguio is located in the Province of Benguet, a part of Luzon, which sits at the northern end of the Philippines. Although once the capital of Benguet, Baguio is now a chartered city in that it is administered independently from the province.

Present at the launch were Goducate founder Paul Choo from Singapore and teams from Goducate Iloilo and Goducate Laguna.

At the half-day conference attended by community leaders from Baguio and Benguet, Paul Choo explained the goal, mission, and vision of Goducate. Carmela Damaso from Goducate Laguna then described the platforms used there for reaching the community. Finally, Leo Decinal shared about the partnership between Goducate Laguna and the Regional Mobile Force Battalion (RMFB) Calabarzon. Calabarzon is an administrative region made up of five provinces, one of which is Laguna.

After the conference, courtesy calls were made on the Commander of the RMFB of Cordillera, which is an administrative region on Luzon, and on the Mayor of Baguio City. Both expressed their approval of Goducate’s goal of developing leaders, who then will help others.

Already community leaders in Baguio trained by Goducate have been helping the Philippine National Police with the Enhanced Revitalized Internal Cleansing Strategy (ERICS). ERICS is a re-training program for members of the police force who have erred in some way. The aim of the program is to have a clean, disciplined police force.

Leaders learning about Goducate from Paul Choo
Our Team with the team from RMFB-15 (Cordillera).

*Our guest writer is Cristine Joy Capsula, a staff member at Camp Goducate, Laguna.