Goducate’s tagline is “Helping needy Asians help themselves”. Since Goducate expects the people we help to help themselves, it ought to practise what it preaches. Hence the Goducate Training Center in Iloilo was designed such that it could be made as self-sustaining as possible. To feed the staff and trainees rice, vegetables, and fruit are planted, and egg-laying hens are reared. On top of that, the center has several recreational facilities, to encourage visits by paying guests. It is one of the places that people in the province—mostly families, schools, companies, and individuals—enjoying going to, either on day trips or for short stays, for relaxation, recreation, and retreats.
At the end of last month, Goducate Training Center welcomed its first corporate guests from abroad. MHC Asia, Singapore, one of Goducate’s strong supporters, chose the center as the place to bring its employees to for an incentive trip. The group of 20 spent 2 nights at the center, staying either in the holiday villas or in the center’s “Sky City”..
The guests had fun harvesting vegetables and collecting eggs. They savored Filipino dishes as well as the mangoes and coconuts. They enjoyed boating, whizzing down the zipline, rock-wall climbing, fishing, and horseback riding. They delighted in hotdogs and marshmallows over a campfire with new Filipino friends. And they loved watching the stars under the cool night sky.
One of the highlights of the trip was the visit to the communities Goducate is helping. They were able to mingle with the locals and learn some of their culture. They were touched by what they saw and were moved to want to help these people in the future.
One thing lacking at the Goducate Training Center is good access to wifi. But this was actually a plus point for corporate types who spend most of their time glued to computers or smartphone. What a relief it was to be able to really get away from work.
