We're very proud of our latest children's book: "Karapat Dapat", an original activity book for children based on the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Children.
We've started giving them away, and one of our partners, The Tiny Library Project, was the first to send us a report from the field.
"The Atis of Panay have long sealed their place in folk history. According to legend, ten Bornean chieftains fled their tyrannical ruler and after days at sea chanced upon an area suitable for settlement in the island of Panay. They purchased it from the Atis, the aboriginal tribe, in exchange for a golden hat and jewelries. This deal became popularly known as the Barter of Panay, a story debunked my some as pure myth; however, the narrative of the town of Hamtic, the site of the first Malay settlement, is never complete without this enduring lore. This is our proud past. Moving fast forward to the present, a surviving community of Atis is found in Tina, or Barangay Gen. Fullon officially, which is approximately a 12-kilometer drive along the highway from the town center of Hamtic. Another two kilometers of dirt road mountainward which is easily accessible by motor vehicles during dry days brings you to the heart of this community.
To facilitate an orderly distribution, students were asked to line up according to grade levels. After receiving their copies, most students immediately opened their books. Majority of them never owned a book prior to this. The teachers appreciated the choice of title granted to them, saying that they do talk about the rights of children in class.
According to our team members assigned to hand the books, the very look on the children’s faces revealed excitement and curiosity while patiently and obediently staying in line under the morning sun. Many were hesitant to drop their books when asked to wave to the camera, wary of letting go of the first book they ever owned in their young lives. Experiences such as this strengthen our resolve to use any means possible to bring reading materials to the hands of children in remote areas in the country.
The United Nations reports that indigenous peoples continue to face serious abuses, violence, forced assimilation, or discrimination. In this light, we consider it a rare privilege to bring to this far-flung community United Nations’ Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) through Karapat Dapat and to fulfill Article 42 which states that adults should help children learn about their rights. In educating this young generation of Atis about their rights, we hope to see an informed and empowered indigenous group. This is the future we wish to shape."
We would like to thank the good folks of the Tiny Library Project for their partnership and assistance in helping to bring our books into the hands of the children who need them most.
And we'd like to thank all of you for your continuing generosity and support which helps to make all these possible.
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This May, we will be launching our latest children's book, "Karapat Dapat" which is a bilingual book (Tagalog and Engish) about the rights of children.
For this project, CANVAS partnered with Ang Ilustrador ng Kabataan (Ang INK), the Philippines' first and only association of children's book illustrators. Together, we sought inspiration from the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child to come up with a picture and activity book for very young readers.
We feel that it is a very timely and important book that parents and teachers will appreciate and also find useful. So far, the early response from organizations and companies that we are seeking additional help from has been very positive. So, together with your generous contributions, to date we have enough funds to publish at least 15,000 copies of "Karapat Dapat," all of which will be given children in public schools and disadvantaged communities throughout the country.
Below are some sample pages from the book.
We will keep you posted on our bookgiving activities in the coming months when we begin to distribute these books. But in advance, and on behalf of all the children who are benefitting from your continued generosity, we thank you very very much!
Late last year, a local TV program, Tapatan ni Tunying, featured an inspiring story about a small library in Barangay Lomboy in Dagupan, Pangasinan. Coincidentally, the producers had also contacted CANVAS to produce a segment on our bookgiving and children's literacy initiatives.
The connection was inevitable and led to the donation by CANVAS of 200 children's books to be given away to the children of Barangay Lomboy, as well as a set of our hardbound children's books for the library.
The pictures below speak for themselves, and Tapatan also produced another segment, which aired last December 29, to document the bookgiving event in the YouTube link below.
Please consider telling your friends and family about our project - share the link on your blogs or social networks, use the tell-a-friend feature on the project page to email your network, or just bring us up in conversation.
Thank you again and a blessed New Year to all!
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As most of you are aware, CANVAS relies on various partners - individuals, nonprofit organizations, government agencies, and others - who work directly with and in the beneficiary communities, to give away the many many children's books that we have published with your continuing and generous support.
This month, we give you this unedited report from The Tiny Library Project, a mobile library project that was created as a tribute of relatives and friends to the late Lt. Col. Tiny P. Perez. His, and the Project's touching story, follows below, after the report.
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"Not even the threat of a heavy downpour could dampen the enthusiasm and excitement of the children selected to be recipients of the book-giving activity of the Tiny Library team, supported by the Hamtic Municipal Police Station and its Municipal Advisory Council (MAC) officers and members on September 30, 2017.
The DepEd district supervisor and teachers chose to hold the book giving on a Saturday morning and requested the children to be in school for the event which started with a short speech about the reading advocacy of the Tiny Library by the mother of the late LtC Tiny Perez. She also introduced CANVAS and its 1Million Books for 1Million Filipino Children project.
The book entitled Panyaan: Three Tales of the Tagbanua” were individually given to 49 school children belonging to grades 3 to 6 in Barangay Caromangay’s multi-grade school.
After receiving their individual copies of Panyaan, the kids were ushered back to their rooms. They were thrilled to learn that they can write their names as personal owners of their books and bring them home. Many of them never owned a book before this.
It was observed that the kids knew how to handle the books correctly. Many eagerly opened the glossy colored pages; one kid excitedly read aloud. As the team were about to leave, one child verbally expressed his joy in receiving the book. Barangay Caromangay is one of the 47 barangays comprising the Municipality of Hamtic in the Province of Antique. It is a mountain barangay along the national road that transverses the Provinces of Antique and Iloilo.
On the same day, 35 grade 3 students from Lapaz Elementary School received their personal copies of the same book. The school principal was jubilant as this public school do not have a library hence students do not have easy access to printed reading materials. The grade 3 teacher said she will ask the kids to bring their books to school for their daily Drop Everything and Read (DEAR) hour.
Another 16 kids residing in Sitio Guibongan were also provided their individual copies. Barangay Lapaz and Sitio Guibongan are coastal areas in the Municipality of Hamtic. Residents are mostly marginalized fishermen.
On hand to facilitate and assist the Tiny Library team were officers and men of the Hamtic Municipal Police Station and its Municipal Advisory Council officers and members which includes the DepEd District Supervisor Mrs. Nicolasura.
Aside from the books, the kids also received gifts such as raincoats, pencil case sets with pencils, erasers, and sharpeners, and snacks."
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About The TINY Library Project
The TINY Library project was born out of a hero's legacy to help children in areas of armed conflict value peace and understanding.
Lt. Col Cristobal Julian Paolo “TINY” Pacificador Perez was the 45 year old commander of the 18th Infantry Battallion in Basilan. He believed that peace can be achieved if only the younger generation can be given the chance to know peace. He was a fierce fighter of the terrorists while he led and protected his men in battle. He pushed them and encouraged them that every battle fought is for peace, for God and country (Deo y Patria).
Tiny started many projects especially for the children in war-torn areas. He has helped communities start small libraries and encouraged children in a sports football program. He believed that keeping the children in school and engaging in positive activities will keep them from being recruited as soldiers among the ASG. He knew that these activities will keep the children occupied with their time while school and books will make the children achieve their dreams of a better life – a life of peace.
Tiny was gunned down in his home on June 19, 2016 on Father's Day. Too young to go and too good to be forgotten. His family and friends and all those whose lives he touched vowed that his legacy should be kept alive. He may be gone, but his good works will always be remembered.
The TINY Library Project is that promise.
Consisting of around 300 storybooks and reference books, the TINY Library is a mobile library cabinet that will be filled with 40% curated books on values such as Peace, Harmony and Understanding Cultural Diversity and 60% will be storybooks preferably by Filipino authors. Educational toys and huggable stuffed dolls will also be included in the library cabinet. Reference books on storytelling and peace activity sessions for teachers or soldier volunteers will also be available.
The TINY Library will be installed in military camps and community schools experiencing armed conflict. Teachers and volunteer soldiers will be given training on storytelling and facilitating peace sessions for the children.
A hero's legacy lives on. . .
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