Goducate holds 1st sports camp in a barangay in Iloilo

“We make it fun”, that’s what we always say in Goducate, whether it be in our team-building or any other activity. And we like to rise to the challenge—in this case, of bringing a sports camp to a barangay (village) instead of bringing the campers to the Goducate Training Center.

Working hand in hand with the barangay officials, we held our first Barangay Sports Camp in Barangay Camando, Leon, on April 9. 68 young people (aged 13-19 yr) turned up for this day camp. It was their first time playing their favorite sport (basketball) in a camp, and their first time to try our Archery Assault.

What the camp brought to the youths was not only fun. The games stirred up their interest in sports, thus possibly diverting their attention from less-wholesome activities. They heard testimonies of changed lives to encourage them to stay on the right track. The fun-filled team-building games led on to small-group discussions. And during counselling time, they were mentored on various aspects of life. In all, the camp was an extraordinary experience for the campers, who learnt sportsmanship, discipline, cooperation, and sense of responsibility.

We are now looking look forward to working with other barangays to hold sports camps there.

Getting ready for Archery Assault
Getting ready for Archery Assault
Basketball
Basketball
Team-building activity
Team-building activity

*Our guest writer is Marmar Daguob, a trainee at the Goducate Training Center, Iloilo

Happy Happy English students in Singapore enjoy Labour Day

The Happy Happy English program for foreign workers in Singapore is not only about teaching the workers English. As the name of the program implies, it is also about making the workers happy. So on May 1, Labour Day, Goducate arranged an outing for the foreign-worker students from 3 dormitories to have a morning of fun and games and lunch.

The event was held at the Chinese Garden, and was ably organized for us by students from Anglo Chinese School Independent. After an introduction to zumba dancing as an ice-breaker, the workers were divided into 5 teams. First, there was an Amazing Race, with tasks to be completed at specific points in the Garden. Then came a Scavenger Hunt. For most of the workers, all these activities were new to them and great fun, topped by prizes given to all the teams.

Learning zumba
Learning zumba
Transferring cotton balls to bowl on head while blindfolded
Transferring cotton balls to bowl on head while blindfolded
Passing on water in cup held between wrists
Passing on water in cup held between wrists

Goducate sponsors team-building activity for cancer survivors in Negros, Philippines

On April 14 Goducate sponsored a team-building activity for the Kadughan Support Group’s needy breast-cancer patients.

Formed by breast-cancer survivors in 2005, “Kadughan” is a support group of Bacolod Kadughan Foundation for Breast Care. The word kadughan originates from the word dughan (chest), and it means “With the same chest, sharing the same sentiments”. With more than hundred members, the group meets once a month to help needy women comply with their diagnostic work-up and surgical and medical treatments.

Goducate’s Mobile Team-Building group went to Negros Island to run a team-building activity specially designed for cancer patients at Bukal Sang Tipan, Talisay City, Negros Occidental, Philippines. 34 women took part in the event.

The activities were intended to challenge participants’ mental and psychomotor ability, and to promote family spirit, team work, and group bonding.

There were also lectures aimed at motivating the breast-cancer survivors to live a good life, a life of hope and purpose, while the small-group discussions addressed the emotional, psychological, and spiritual concerns of the individuals in the group.

The cancer survivors were refreshed, encouraged and empowered by the activities, and gave us favorable feedback.

Bonding time
Bonding time
Games time
Games time
Small-group discussiom
Small-group discussiom

*Our guest writer is Joanna De Leon, a community development worker.