Goducate … Go And Educate! – Page 117 – Helping Asians Help Themselves

2013-03-052013-03-06

Goducate brings its basketball program to Bacoor

One of the objectives of Goducate Sports program is to help out-of-work people earn some income, for example as basketball officials, or as lifeguards. There are also the other important objectives of keeping out-of-school youths off the streets, and teaching them discipline, perseverance, obedience, teamwork and many other good characteristics.

The basketball program has been introduced in several districts in Laguna Province, Philipplines. On Feb 18-19, two Goducate members of staff were invited to conduct a seminar on basketball refereeing in another province. They were at the city of Bacoor in Cavite Province to train 10 jobless youths to be basketball referees. The youths were also given ideas about the kinds of sports activities that have been held in Laguna and that they could organize in Cavite.

Later this week, one of the Goducate staff members will return to Bacoor to help set up a basketball camp. Meanwhile the 10 youths will be able to help out at a basketball league that is about to be held there and possibly earn a little pocket money.

2013-03-012013-03-02

Goducate moves into a squatter community in Batam

Batam is just an hour’s ferry ride from Singapore. From many parts of Batam, the sky-line of Singapore’s Central Business District can be seen quite clearly on a clear day.

Almost a million people live in Batam—the vast majority from other parts of Indonesia who come to look for employment in Batam’s many factories. When these people first arrive in Batam, the first challenge they encounter is to find an affordable place to stay in. Prices in Batam (especially housing prices) are about the highest in Indonesia because of the large numbers of Singaporeans who work and play there. So most newcomers end up staying in squatter areas where rentals are much cheaper.

Over a year ago, Goducate started weekend English classes in a squatter area in Batu Aji, Batam. Six months ago, we started a kindergarten for the children in that area. Last week we made a decision to expand the kindergarten to cope with the increased demand for spaces. Besides the much lower kindergarten fees, another reason for the demand is that we teach English to the children. This is unusual in Indonesia except in the high-end “international” kindergartens. In Goducate, we believe that the best time to learn a language is when children are young.

Last week our community development workers conducted a public health seminar for the mothers in the community. For most of the mums, it was the first time that they had attended a health seminar. Such education is especially important in a squatter area where toilets are “holes in the ground”, where water for washing is dirty and scarce, and where many of the children are under-nourished and prone to illnesses.

We have also purchased a piece of land in the “heart” of the squatter area to build a Goducate Community Center, where we hope to teach basic livelihood skills (eg, detergent making, welding).

We hope to transform this squatter area to a model community where needy Asians help themselves.

Public health seminar held in Goducate Kindergarten

On this land will rise Goducate Community Center!

2013-02-262013-02-27

Goducate starts volleyball in Laguna

Goducate introduced a sports program in Laguna Province, Philippines, about a year ago. We used basketball to help youths with a passion for the game. We started by organizing a league match in two villages (Puy-puy and Tranca). Within a few weeks one boy was offered a place at a university on the strength of his basketball ability. The program has also offered other youths employment opportunities as basketball referees and table officials.

Early in February Goducate introduced volleyball in Tagumpay, a small lakeside town that was badly affected by flooding during a storm last August. A one-day volleyball league was organized. 8 teams participated. It started at 9 am and continued right up to 2 am. 90 people filled the hall. The winning team (Team San Pedro) was made up of high-school students, who each received a small cash prize. They will be offered more volleyball and team-building training at a camp in March.

Goducate hopes that this program will keep youths off the streets, train them in discipline, team-building and other characteristics, and enable some of them to get sports scholarships to schools or universities.