It’s officially “Back To School” season in the Philippines and the girls of Tahanan Sta. Luisa are ecstatic to meet their teachers and classmates face to face. After nearly two years of online classes, our girls are very thankful to return to the classroom and learn side by side with their peers and friends.
This school year, however, will be unlike any other. Living in the “new normal” comes with its unique set of challenges, and schooling is no exception. COVID-19 remains a threat and health protocols must be strictly followed to ensure that everyone is safe. For us at Tahanan Sta. Luisa, we make sure that our girls know what to do to keep themselves protected whenever they’re out and about.
Students will also be navigating a hybrid approach to education. That means some days they will be required to go to the school building, while on other days they will be asked to learn outside the classroom and in the comfort of their homes. We trust that our teachers are doing their best to provide a safe environment for our girls to learn, play, and engage with their classmates.
Despite the challenges, Tahanan’s goal remains the same: to empower street girl survivors of abuse through quality education. We are proud of our girls for their commitment and dedication to learning and developing their knowledge and skills. With the proper guidance and inspiration, they are on the right track to reaching their full potential and becoming productive and independent members of our society.
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From the garden to the table!
What a glorious feeling! The girls of Tahanan Sta. Luisa are becoming experts at transplanting leafy greens and making simple meals using their very own harvest.
Our organic farm and garden is growing magnificently. The girls have been busy harvesting okra, kangkong, talong, sweet basil, and some chilis. Plus, the herb and flower patches outside the greenhouse are starting to take great shape. We will soon be enjoying more zinnias, marigolds, pandan, rosemary, and peanuts.
The girls have also learned how to make delicious pesto pasta from all the ingredients that they harvested right in our own backyard. To complement the meal and beat the summer heat, they also enjoyed making iced lemongrass and pandan tea.
Tahanan’s garden has become a tremendous source of joy and inspiration. Our girls are not only unlocking new skills and boosting their self-confidence, but they are also doing their part to help the environment by practicing sustainable agriculture.
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Even though the COVID-19 pandemic came with overwhelming challenges, there are still a lot of things to be grateful for. One of those is the fact that our girls at Tahanan get to experience all the wonders of organic urban farming and horticultural therapy.
The COVID-19 lockdowns have been very difficult for our girls and made them feel the negative effects of extended isolation and confinement. Before the pandemic hit the Philippines, our girls were enjoying therapy sessions at a garden inside a nearby convent of religious nuns.
We decided to recreate the healing environment that a garden brings by adding horticultural farming as part of our therapy programs.
We thank our mentors and a pastor couple for turning this dream into a reality. Our girls can already grow their vegetables! The girls learned how to make Bokashi compost, and turned kitchen scraps like fruit and vegetable peels into organic fertilizer. The girls also learned how to sow, weed, transplant, and build flower beds.
This program has helped our girls cope with the challenges of the new normal by honing their green thumbs, cultivating the soil, and creating the garden of their dreams right in Tahanan's backyard.
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"When you help, it doesn’t have to be big or grand. It's the little things that make the biggest difference."
This is among the most profound realizations of volunteers and supporters who visit our shelter Tahanan Sta. Luisa, interact with our girls and learn more about their stories of hope and resilience. Recently, Tahanan Sta. Luisa was graced with the presence of Enchong Dee, one of the most sought-after celebrities in the Philippines, members of his fans club Only Enchong Dee, and volunteers and staff from construction firm Mundo Design and Build.
Enchong Dee and members of his fans club, Only Enchong Dee, have been among Tahanan's strongest advocates and supporters. We could not thank them enough for always being with us every year, for sharing their time, talents, and resources with the girls under our care.
Advocates like Enchong and his fans use their influence to help us raise awareness about the need to empower street girl survivors of abuse and help them reach their full potential through our programs that focus on education, healing, and livelihood training.
And now, partnering with Mundo Builders, the fun and excitement never stop. Through meaningful partnerships like this, Tahanan Sta. Luisa is able to grow a community of advocates and supporters who join in its mission to give street girls a fighting chance for a better future.
You can be a part of this mission, too! Learn more about Tahanan Sta. Luisa and how you can help us empower street girls and build the next generation of girl leaders.
With the pandemic still in full throttle, distance and online learning have been the new normal. Teachers, students, and their parents have been compelled to navigate the intricacies of the online world to ensure that education does not take a back seat during the crisis. Online learning has its unique challenges, but the girls are slowly but surely adapting to the changes - the Tahanan way!
Just because our girls can’t go to school doesn’t mean that the learning should stop. Step by step, our girls are developing a deeper understanding of how learning requires actual work and discipline. Even when times get tough, our girls know that education is worth all the effort so they do their best and never give up on their dreams. Through the support of social workers, our girls can use online learning to their advantage and maximize opportunities to gain new ideas and concepts.
Plus, they learn more life skills through the sewing center social enterprise. They enjoy sewing bags, pouches, and many more designs while learning about the important values of hard work and perseverance. Social workers also bring fun into the learning through games that foster camaraderie and teamwork.
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