Send Vulnerable Filipino Children to School

FPVI - building self-worth one performance at a time

We feature in this report Achilles, Grade 7, who came to FPVI in April 2018, painfully shy, troubled and suffering from frequent severe stomach pains. His teachers in elementary school, aware of his dire family circumstance, convinced us that a bright boy lurked underneath the withdrawn and timid child, caregiver to his 3 younger siblings.

Photo shows Achilles 9 months later in December 2018 during the FPVI Christmas Program performing a monologue as a Talking Tree, an idea he conceived himself. Dogged support and preparation yielded a very good performance that surprised everyone, especially his mother. The praise and compliments he got lifted him and transformed the shy boy into someone who now confidently smiles, greets everyone, participates in group discussions, talks more openly about himself and his family. He no longer goes about lethargic or burdened by the world.

We will let Achilles speak for himself in his ‘Open Mic’ piece, a Sunday event everyone in the group looks forward to.

Round 2 (January 2019)

Good morning everyone!

 Before anything else, I would like to thank FPVI for giving me many chances in this program despite my bad attitude sometimes. I promise to change. I also want to thank Ma’am Shiena because she never gives up on me, and my fellow scholars for treating me like their brother.

 I would like to talk about my New Year’s Resolution for 2019. I promise to come every Sunday and to do so on time. I will manage my time wisely.

 I pray to God to give more blessings to FPVI that they may be able to help more children who are interested in finishing school. That’s all. And again good morning to all.

Naduyog an mga Buyog! FPVI partners with local community to promote healthy ecosystem through bee-keeping advocacy!

FPVI isn't just nourishing the physical and mental well-being of the children in our care with healthier meals, education and provision for generally happier and healthier lives than they have known. It is also promoting a healthier environment by helping young people in the community understand that green and clean surroundings with trees and plants and flowers are important to one’s general well-being.  And bees are important because they make the flora flourish!

Children found out exactly how bees enable us to live sustainable lives in the recent launching of the first bee-friendly school in the province of Leyte - the Banawang Elementary School located in the smallest barangay (village) of Tunga, which in turn is the smallest town in Leyte. FPVI organized an art program for K to Grade 6 children who painted a mural on the walls fronting the school. Kolor Banwa, a Tacloban-based art group and art students from the Leyte Normal University worked together with the children for the concept of a bee mural. Together they discussed, drew, and mixed and applied colors. The children sang and danced, they were attentive to what adults - bee experts, biodiversity scientists, artists and community advocates - had to say.

“Advocating for bee-friendly spaces rests on all of us. And where best to start than in schools!”, Nonna Ponferrada, FPVI Trustee, told those gathered at the launching event on 17 October 2018. “it is important that children are made aware early on that they too have a responsibility for conservation."

This first initiative ensures the young in the community understand healthy ecosystem and biodiversity, abstract concepts maybe, but now relate-able and right in their school grounds! The next step is to provide opportunities for them to get involved in actual beekeeping in their own home gardens.

"Bees are the lifeblood of the food chain. Partnering in this effort with fellow advocates, in particular, and the community, in general, is very important."  -Gary Ayuste, social activist, entrepreneur and owner of BeenGo Farm in Tunga

Links:

• Video of launch of first bee-friendly school in Leyte

• Busy bees! Busy mural artists! (PDF)