It's a Wrap

For three days, a video crew from Manila visited different project sites of JFPR 9175 to cover the progress and gather compelling stories from our local community partners. Joining them, we visited the municipalities of Basey, Balangiga, Guiuan, Hernani, Salcedo and Burauen. Going around to the different barangays with them, I realized that it wasn't too difficult to gather good stories. Moreso, stories were abundant that some we could not accommodate this time.

Of the different areas we visited, if I were to pick only three highlights I would choose the following:

1. Salcedo National High School


Yolanda, as we know, spared nothing--not even the schools. Salcedo National High School is just one of many schools severely devastated by the supertyphoon, but unlike most schools, it is denied of assistance for rehabilitation because of its location. Salcedo National High School unfortunately is located in a No Build Zone. As such, despite all the efforts of the school administration, no governtment and non-government agency would extend its help thinking that assistance shall only go to waste if another calamity hits the area. These were the sentiments of the principal we interviewed. But as she shared the story of her school, the joy she feels is uncontainable. It was Plan through the funding of JFPR that allowed SNHS to seek relocation to a safer ground and received assistance for construction of 15 classrooms. Although it may take a few months until the start of construction, teachers and students alike are excited for the new school site.

2. Reuffa Oronos, CDF

Reuffa, as I personally know her, is a very passionate and committed Community Development Worker. She can light up the room with her bubbly personality, so when I first met her I did not notice that she was a Person with Disability. I guess that's a good thing because it reflects her personality that she is not limited nor defined by her disabilities. Moreso, she is more than her disabilities. She is a person who endures every challenge that comes her way, truly an inspiring and hardworking person.

3. Demo Farm at Barangay Buri, Burauen

The rain was pouring on the third day. I was keeping my fingers crossed hoping that the weather would get better. Unfortunately, the sun remained behind the clouds and there were intermitent rainfall. Despite the glommy weather, when we visited the Demo Farm, we saw many local community partners wearing their uniform and doing their work. Together as one group, they prepared the land for planting and even had some lands planted with vegetables together. It was a sight to see--everyone working together wtih one goal in mind.


These are just three of many stories inspiring stories in the communities.

Behind the scene:

    

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.

Building Dreams

Academic year in the Philippines begins on June. But as teachers prepare for the influx of children, they also prepare for the monsoon season. In the Philippines, it is not uncommon to see schools vulnerable to floods and typhoons. Old San Agustin Elementary School in Basey is just one of thousands of schools at risk during the monsoon season.

Old San Agustin Elementary School usually gets flooded when it rains hard because of nearby river usually overflows. Teachers are often disheartened to see their books destroyed and children affected sometimes even acquiring skin diseases brought by dirty water. This has been a long occurring problem in the community.

Mrs. Azil Homeres, an alumni of the school and incidentally the current principal, dreamt of having better learning spaces and disaster resilient classrooms. She can still recall in her younger years how the schools gets flooded. However, in the most recent years, the floods are getting more often and worse. Despite that, teachers and other community members continue to prepare for and mitigate the adverse effects of storms and typhoons.

So when Plan-ADB/JFPR started the project in their school, she welcomed it with eagerness and excitement. Headed by her, the school faculty, are really hands on in the implementation of the construction. Considering the vulnerability of their school to floods, the faculty even suggested the classrooms to be elevated. They also asked for the some coconuts trees with the perimeter of the school to be cut. They truly participate actively in the implementation of the project and continue to show willingness participate with their role to monitor the construction.

Hope as Wide as the Sea

Being summer, it is the most opportune time to gather children in the barangays. On April 28-29, 2015, Plan International, funded by the Asian Development Bank/Japan Fund for Poverty Reduction, conducted its first ever Children’s Playshop in one island barangay in Guiuan, Eastern Samar. It aimed to teach the children about hazards, capacities and vulnerabilities and also to consult them through a Community Risk Assessment using arts and play. Thus, the activity is entitled, Children’s Playshop.

Two friends who joined the training are Jolina (15) and Bernard (13). Both actively participated through-out the activity and had even reported for their group’s outputs. Naturally, they emerged as big brother and big sister to the younger participants. Behind these participants with apparent leadership skills are stories of inspiration and hope.

“Children, young as they are, can do something to prepare and save themselves from typhoons if they have enough knowledge,” this is what Bernard learned from the two-day activity. He believes that it is not only the adults who should prepare for impending typhoons, children can do something too. If children would gain understanding just like he did from the training, he believes they would also learn how protect themselves and even help their families from impending typhoons. Hence, with enthusiasm, he hopes to extend the lessons he learned from the training.

Having seven other siblings, Jolina sees the difficulties her parents experience to make ends meet. Her father is a fisherfolk, while her mother sells clothes. Of the 7 siblings she has, only 4 are working or studying in college, while the rest are still studying in only integrated school in the island just like her. However, this reality does not deter her from dreaming, moreso, it moves her to dream all the more. She dreams to be a caregiver to help her parents provide for their family. And she extends the same dream to her fellow children in the island. She hopes that the children of Sulu-an would give back to their families when they graduate from school.

The barangay, being an island community an hour and a half pump-boat ride away from mainland Guiuan, opportunities are limited and resources are scarce. But hearing the voices of Jolina and Bernard, it is apparent that hope indeed springs eternal. For the children of this island, maybe it is even as wide as the open the open sea.

PHOTOS FROM THE CHILDREN"S PLAYSHOP

Helping each other, the children drew their barangay's transect map.

Facilitator, Nixon Gensis, explains hazards, risks and vulnerabilities to the children.

Children actively participate to the workshop.

Hand in hand, children promise to apply at home, in their school and community
what they have learned in the Children's Playshop.

"Raising children's voices."

Gearing Up to Work

Saturday mornings are usually spent at the comforts of our homes for rest after a long week of work. But last June 6, 2015, four barangays welcomed the Plan staff in preparation for the commencement of the Cash for Work activities for the common service facilities. Bringing with us gears, tools and the suggestion box, we distributed them to the different local partner communities in Burauen namely: Buri, Calsadahay, San Pablo and Hapunan. 

Plan Staff unloads the gears and tools

Eager and excited for the Cash for Work activities to commence, each barangay welcomed us warmly. Despite 

being under the heat of the sun, every person present helped in unloading and counting the gears and tools. 

Each one had their own task to do, but all were helping each other. Truly, a beautiful sight to see. 

This is building back better, stronger and together.

Home is Where the Heart Is

In the picturesque coastline of fine white sand in Barangay Sulu-an, Guiuan, Eastern Samar is a small makeshift house  with scraps of wood as foundation and plastic sheeting as roof and walls. This is home to an old man who is more known in the community as Papa Sendo.

In his life, he lost so many. He is deprived not only of things but of family as well. It has been 18 years since he last saw his wife and children. Since then, he has not even heard from them and had been living alone. Sometimes, he would go to Homonhon, a nearby island, to make a living as a carpenter for relatives.

Life is tough on him. His home, made from light materials, is often destroyed when typhoons hit the island. Although willing and insistent, he is too old to go fishing. To buy rice, he makes “pangal” or fish baskets for Php200 each. If he’s lucky, he can finish and sell one in a week. He does not worry about his viand to pair with his rice as there are many fish in the sea.

Despite the hardships he experiences, he does not use his poverty as an excuse to do ill or get ahead of other people. Even if there are moments when chickens would run into his home, he never dared to get them as they were not his and even returned them to its owner. As he said,“Poverty is not my choice, but I have to strive to survive.” 

Maybe for other people, what he calls home may uncomfortable to live in. For Papa Sendo, it is home, and he is not willing to move out. Even if he has relatives who persistently encourage him to live with them, he kindly declines because he is more comfortable living in his own space. Because for Tatay Sendo, home truly is where the heart is.

As one of the grantees of the Unconditional Cash Transfer under the Livelihood component of the ADB/JFPR Project, he said the money he would get would be a big help to him to buy rice and if possible as capital so he could go fishing again. Because even in his old age, he continues to strive to survive.