Out-of-School No More

Julie (20), is the 8th among 9 siblings. She has a penchant for drawing and desires to be an architect. Aware that her family does not have the resources for her to go to college, she took and passed the entrance exam at a local university as a scholar of the government. Unfortunately, the grant did not push through. But still, she did not give up her dream to go to study. To save up money, she worked as a helper in the city. After saving enough money, she came back home to enroll architecture in local state university. However, during the time his father started getting sick and needed medical attention. To help her father, she gave up her money (and set aside her dream) for her father's hospitalization and medication. A few months later, her father passed away.

Julie's story is just one of the 182 Out of School Youth registered for the technical and vocational training to be facilitated by Plan International through the funding of Japan Fund for Poverty Reduction. Through the ADB-JFPR Grant 9175 A2, 182 Out of School Youth can finally continue their desire to settle to more stable jobs through skills enhancement.

To prepare for the training, Plan's Community Development Facilitators conducted one on one consultations and life skills training to selected Out of School Youth from the 31 beneficiary barangays. They were oriented of the different courses available for them, and taught them to ready themselves of the training that awaits them. Back then, the reality of finally going back to school seemed like a distant dream for them.

But this week and in the coming weeks, this dream shall be finally made into a reality.

The OSYs across all beneficiary barangays--from the far islands of Sulu-an and Homonhon in Guiuan, Eastern Samar and the mountainous barangay of Villa Aurora, Burauen, Leyte--shall all enroll and begin their technical/vocational training. A few have began already at Kananga EDC Institute for Technolgy (KeiTech), Kananga, Leyte; while the rest are awaiting the first day at Balicuatro College of Arts and Technology (BCAT), Allen, Northern Samar. 

As the OSYs are excited to enter their training schools, many more are excited for them--their families, fellow community members and Plan staff as well. Because in the few days time, they shall no longer be Out of School Youth. And in the coming months, they shall no longer be unemployed.