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Goducate volunteers in Laguna, Philippines, farm mushrooms as livelihood project

Goducate encourages its workers and its projects to be self-supporting.

Last year, my family and three other volunteer families in Laguna, Philippines, began growing oyster mushrooms as a means of generating income to support ourselves and our community programmes. We are helped by Goducate sponsors who contribute to the capital costs of this project.

The “farms” (sheds that provide a relatively cool environment for the mushrooms) are located in two villages, one of the farms being shared by three families. The harvest gives each family about PhP4000 (USD 77) per month, which contributes substantially towards the families’ needs.

The project also enables some schoolchildren to earn some money for their school transport. These children help to put mushroom spawn and the substrate into bags. My six foster children (two in college and 4 in high school) also earn some money for their transport by helping with the harvesting. 

Schoolchildren doing the “bagging”

Goducate is helping the government’s Family Development Session, a programme for the poor. We are helping with the Sustainable Livelihood section of this programme, and have been asked to introduce mushroom farming to the community. 

Jonatan and wife Stephanie, in charge of music programme in the community

 

 

 

 

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Goducate’s Go Basket Philippines Program Helps in “Bola Hindi Droga”

Go Basket Philippines is a Goducate program in the Philippines that seeks to draw youths away from undesirable influences. Dabbling in illegal drugs is one of such influences. Go Basket Philippines thus helps the Philippines government’s efforts to promote sports among youths as a means of eradicating drug addiction. The government’s tagline for its efforts is “Bola Hindi Droga”, which literally translates to “Ball not Drugs”.

Go Basket Philippines has been building partnerships with different barangays (villages), Sangguniang Kabataan (Youth Council) and Barangay Captains. It has been conducting free basketball clinics in the barangays, at which participants are taught not only basketball but also good values such as discipline, teamwork, punctuality, etc. Some participants are also trained to be coaches.

Recently, Go Basket Philippines ran two basketball tournaments. The first, a knockout tournament, held on Feb 2-3, was a 3×3 Challenge. The 24 participating teams came from different municipalities of the province of Iloilo. The 3×3 format of basketball is a much trimmed version of the traditional game, with 3 players on each side, and the game is played on half a court, with a ball that is different from the traditional ball, and with its own rules.

Rule briefing for basketball 3×3

On Feb 9, Go Basket Philippines ran a league, with games played according to the traditional format. 8 teams took part.

Orientation for basketball league

Both tournaments enabled players, who had received training from Go Basket Philippines, to meet others who had also received such training. Some of the teams that took part had been formed by those who had been trained by Go Basket Philippines to be coaches. This is an example of how Goducate likes its programs to work—whereby those who have been trained by Goducate go on to train others.

*Our guest writer is Carmela Damaso, a staff member at the Goducate Training Center in Iloilo.
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Goducate scholars from Laguna have eyes opened by a visit to Tambaliza

The Goducate scholarship program has been running for a few years for students from Laguna, Philippines. Recently it was extended to students from two other places –the island of Tambaliza, and central Iloilo. So arrangements were made for the scholarship holders from Laguna to meet the others, to learn from and to encourage each other.

The Laguna team preparing a meal to share with the Tambaliza scholars

The scholarship program enables students who otherwise cannot afford it to obtain a tertiary education. In return, scholarship holders help out with Goducate programs.

One group of Laguna scholarship holders visited the 13 from central Iloilo, and another visited the 6 from Tambaliza. 

The 6 males who are the Goducate scholars from Tambaliza

Tambaliza Island is also known as the Pan de Azucar. This island is one of the 17 variously inhabited and uninhabited islands that come under the jurisdiction of the municipality of Concepcion in North-eastern Iloilo. Tambaliza is known for Mount Pan de Azucar (Mount Sugarloaf), a steep volcanic cone. The main means of livelihood on this island is fishing.

The Laguna students who visited the homes of the Tambaliza students learnt of the financial hardships faced by the latter. Most did not go home for weekends. Instead, after paying for various university fees and projects, they used the remaining money for food instead of for travel home. The Tambaliza students also shared about their challenges with their studies. 

At the home of Tambaliza scholar (guy in blue shirt), with his sister (centre in purple top)

This trip was an eye-opener for the students from Laguna. It made them realize how privileged they are to be living in Laguna.  What they learnt has greatly motivated them to study hard and to start dreaming of being able to help the needy on Tambaliza Island.