Goducate Training Center in Iloilo, Philippines, trains community development workers for Asia. So far many of our trainees have been housed in “temporary” accommodation and have attended lectures in rooms in the Multi-Purpose Hall.
Recently we completed the Ladies’ Dormitory, which can accommodate about 70 lady trainees. The residential rooms are built around a nice lounge, where the ladies can gather for informal meetings and activities. The ground floor of the Ladies’ Dormitory houses trainers’ offices, a teacher’s guest room, a visitor’s guest suite, and a dining hall.
The men’s dormitory is situated next to the ladies’ dorm and can accommodate about 40 men.
The area in front of the dormitories, which used to be a mahogany “forest”, has been converted to a large “outdoor classroom.” Tables and chairs have been constructed on concrete bases under the shady mahogany trees for small-group meetings and for informal teaching. We hope that this campus atmosphere will enhance the learning experience of our trainees.
Since our trainees come from many different parts of the Philippines and Asia, and from many different backgrounds and experiences, they can learn much from each other before being sent out to different parts of the Philippines and Asia to serve in many diverse communities.
So far our graduates have been sent to work in needy communities in Philippines, Cambodia, China, and Indonesia, and from the reports that we have received they are doing well as community development workers helping needy Asians help themselves.
Our next batch of trainees will be trained as TESOL (teaching English as a second language) teachers from Jan to June 2013. We hope to train about 50 such teachers to be sent to Goducate Language Centers in different parts of Asia.