The reporting period covers the third quarter of Fiscal Year 2022-2023, wherein the target for this implementation period would be 20 youth participants; however, during the implementation period in identifying youth enrollees- nearly 23 youth were identified for referral in the project- but unfortunately only 12 youth attended the general orientation, due to conflict schedules of some and unable to attend the orientation- however, those who did not attend the orientation were scheduled during the first session under the Skills for Life.
I. Orientation of the Project Bamboo
Only 12 youth participants attended the November 18, 2022 orientation at Museo Pambata, where the policies and guidelines for project implementation were discussed. As part of the project's policy, they also completed their profile and signed their commitment waiver. Their designated teachers or social workers were also signed as support and counterparts to assist in the monitoring and progress of our youth participants.
II. Skills for Life Sessions
The Skills for Life sessions are part of the preliminary activities, in which the street youth participants were taught how to familiarize themselves and communicate effectively with one another through various topics, as well as guided sessions on exploring their journey to self-learning and understanding their strengths and weaknesses.
Furthermore, these sessions allowed participants to freely share their personal life experiences while also learning from others. "Self-awareness," "Interpersonal Relationships," "Critical Thinking and Problem Solving," and "Conflict Resolution, Coping with Emotions in a Positive Way" are the main topics covered in sessions.
The SFL sessions also reminded the street youth participants of how they can prepare for any life challenge while remaining strong, firmly, and peacefully living their own life with their family. They were able to openly share their life experiences and challenges as a result of their realizations.
Only 15 street youth attended and completed the six sessions of Skills for Life, which took place from December 1 to 5, 20223 at Museo Pambata in Manila.
III. Financial Literacy
This session focused on how to budget their income and expenses wisely, as well as how to save money in order to have their own savings. These sessions were held over two half-day sessions, and 14 street youth participants completed the Financial Literacy sessions successfully.
During the sessions, some of the street youth shared their experiences with saving money, but they admittedly did not know how to track their earnings. So, during the sessions, the facilitator also discussed the myths and facts about savings, reminding them that saving and investing are still important.
IV. Entrepreneurship
This Entrepreneurship session included 13 youth participants who learned about topics such as Business Management Strategy, How to Make a Business Plan, Marketing 101, Online Platform Marketing Strategy, and how to understand the benefits and drawbacks of running a small business. The main goal of this session is to emphasize the significance of doing business and how it can generate income.
The discussion took place in the form of a workshop, allowing the youth participants to interact with their peers. The facilitator also talked about how to create an effective business plan. However, the street youth expressed that creating a business plan is difficult, especially if they do not have enough money to get started. This is where the topic of microfinance institutions was introduced, as well as how they can use their services to start their own businesses.
V. Values Formation
Ms. Pana facilitated the session, which was held in a full-day training that combined the two groups of participants to avoid conflicts in schedule particularly for those who are still working while participating in the project. A total of nine youth participants attended the values formation session held at the Childhope Foundation headquarters. The session covered spiritual and relational values toward others, family communication, and developing moral values and right behavior. The youth participants noticed how important the values session was, where the facilitator discussed the importance of humility and faith in depth.
Following the session, the street youth participants enjoyed the short Christmas program organizd by Childhope Philippines. They felt more Christmas spirit because there was a gift-giving activity which Childhope’s corporate volunteers prepared some items and groceries for them. The Christmas celebration is very timely and relevant in their values formation session, emphasizing the importance of humility, forgiveness, and sharing.
Plans for next quarter:
Support Childhope’s Advocacy as an NGO for youth in the Philippines
The future of the Philippines can be bright through the empowerment of our youth. As an NGO for youth in the Philippines, we are striving to continuously run and create programs and activities that will motivate and teach our youth on how to be greater. You can help too! Donate today and help us empower the Filipino youth to make our country a better place.
Along with the government, Childhope Philippines, a non-government organization, creates initiatives to uphold, protect, and promote the welfare of children’s rights, particularly children in the streets. To help improve the quality of life for those in the low-income sector, one of their methods is to offer any form of assistance, especially to the family of their beneficiaries through their program Childhope Philippines Livelihood Assistance Program, or CHAP.
The Story of Obana Family
One of the many beneficiaries of Childhope Philippines is Josie, a 39-year-old solo parent to three children. All of her children have different fathers, and no one offered her any spousal support, especially financially. This resulted to Josielyn having to raise the children by herself.
Since their source of livelihood was affected by the global pandemic, the responsibilities she was already carrying alone became even greater. She had no idea, though, that the place where she had watched her children’s hopes and dreams fade would one day become their beacon of hope.
While working as a street vendor in front of LRT 1- Central Station near Universidad de Manila, she met Childhope Philippines social workers, who convinced her two kids to attend their learning sessions on the streets and later become beneficiaries. Since her children are active Childhope participants, Josielyn was able to take part in the livelihood program. This gave access to the livelihood training, seminars, and all the help she and her children are receiving from the organization, in addition to the financial aid and grocery packages given to her family. Additionally, Childhope keeps molding her kids into more respectable, goal-oriented people.
Her gratitude to the brim, Josielyn reflects in Filipino, “Malaking tulong ang Childhope dahil hindi nila kami pinabayaan lalo na ni (CHAP social worker) Fidel. Sila ang mga naging susi sa pagtulong sa aming mag-iina para mabigyan kami ng puhunan para makapagsimula muli sa buhay.”
(“Childhope was a big help for us because they never wavered their support, especially social worker Fidel. They were the ones who served as beacons for our family, giving us enough capital to begin again.”)
It’s never easy to be a single parent like Josie, especially given that she came from an underprivileged family. To help her raise her children in the manner that every kid deserves, Childhope Philippines, along with its staff, social workers, donors, and street educators, became her partner.
Childhope Philippines’ KalyEskwela Program
Childhope Philippines also has a comprehensive street education project in Metro Manila called Street Education and Protection (STEP) program that provides basic but urgent needs to support and ensure the continuous and holistic learning and development of its street children participants.
Under this project is the “KalyEskwela,” which translates to “school on the streets,” in an effort to deliver education to the street children. Classes are held in mobile vans equipped with multimedia technology. Street children and youth under the Alternative Learning System (ALS) program of the government receive instruction from street educators while working through modules. Likewise, this street child program enables kids to return to regular education. The program offers vocational and technical skill training to older kids so they can support themselves and their families financially.
As stated previously, Obana’s children are also beneficiaries of Childhope’s STEP program. According to her, once her children were chosen as Childhope’s recipients, a significant change occurred, particularly in the attitudes and behavior of her kids. They are now able to distinguish between right and wrong. She also mentioned that she improved her knowledge and understanding on how to guide her children and learned the proper way to approach them.
All the wisdom and knowledge that she learned from the activities, meetings and seminars will be planted in the deepest part of her heart, where it will blossom and serve as an instrument for promoting the rights and welfare of children.
From nothing to something—Josie is now someone who is capable of supporting her children in realizing their goals and developing into capable citizens who will pass on the goodness that was previously shared with them and extend it from generation to generation.
In order to ensure the wellbeing of street youth, organizations like Childhope Philippines provide livelihood initiatives for the disadvantaged sector of society. Childhope also offers the broadest program areas in terms of geographic reach, serving around 1,000 to 1,200 street children annually in 15 regions throughout 6 Metro Manila cities.
Change the Lives of Indigent Families and Bring Hope to Their Future
The current problems that the poor face make it simple for them to abandon hope. However, there is a glimmer of hope for change thanks to organizations like Childhope Philippines, whose goal is to help the poor through community livelihood assistance programs.
Give more street children a chance at a better future! Contribute to our cause by giving a little of your time, energy, and wisdom. You can apply to be a volunteer with us or make a donation to help us improve more programs for street kids’ livelihood and well-being. For more information about us, get in touch with us right now. You can also follow us on Facebook for more updates on our programs.
MANILA, Philippines – More out-of-school youth (OSY) in Manila City will be given opportunities to learn and earn through Project Bamboo, a partnership project funded by the Asian Community Center (ACC21) for the empowerment of street youth in Metro Manila through alternative education, service skills, and livelihood trainings. Childhope Philippines is one of the organizations in the Philippines that have been assisted by ACC21 in implementing their Project Bamboo program. This education program aims to provide opportunities for education, entrepreneurship, employment, and civic engagement to OSYs.
Recognition Day
Thirteen OSYs who had been receiving technical-vocational training for the previous six months graduated and received their certificates on October 5. They successfully completed the Barista and Food and Beverage (F&B) courses. According to Mr. Amante, Project Bamboo’s project coordinator, graduates will be connected to local businesses for job opportunities as well as other organizations and offices for further education and entrepreneurship opportunities.
One of the F&B graduates, Joan, stated that after completing the course, she felt more confident in applying for jobs to help support her sister’s education. “My plan was to pursue a college education but there were challenges so I tried this opportunity. To my fellow youth, don’t lose hope. Grab opportunities like this for us to learn and have a brighter future,” Joan said.
Jex, a young father with one daughter, said he is hopeful that he can provide a good future for his family as a beneficiary of the program. “This program is a big help for me to reach my dreams for a good future,” he said.
Education Programs Aimed to Strengthen Youth Development Alliance
Having the valuable experience of working with Childhope in the past years, ACC21 voluntarily joined and started a partnership project with the organization; which is armed with long-term experiences, know-how, and vision in organizing and rolling out projects for street children.
Formerly known as Street Youth Empowerment Project, Project Bamboo provides street youth with the opportunity to address their economic needs in less, if not non-hazardous ways. It also aims to provide street youth with vocational and technical skills that would allow them to become gainfully employed or to establish their own business enterprise in the future. These will help them to become financially independent while they are on the streets and when they finally decide to leave the streets and be on their own.
Moreover, the project will also be incorporated into already-existing interventions provided by Childhope for a more holistic approach to help street youth to break the cycle of poverty. With this assistance, more than 100 upskilled OSYs are now employed, starting businesses, and continuing their education since Project Bamboo began.
During the Project Bamboo graduation ceremony, Mr. Ito, CEO and President of ACC21, pledged his full support to the collaboration for the OSYs to prosper and move towards improving their well-being despite the hazards of poverty.
“I look forward to a much stronger and lasting solidarity in the future after this batch of graduates who are now prepared to meet the challenges ahead, a second chance that will build themselves to live comfortably like all the others who have specialized themselves on their own chosen careers in the academic work,” Ito said.
Aiming for Sustainable Health and Education Programs
Childhope ensures the continued delivery of its health, livelihood, and education programs and services for street children through different fundraising strategies; as well as grant proposal writing to other funding agencies.
Childhope and ACC21 are committed to working with different organizations, companies, and institutions which provide financial and in-kind support to the project and to the street youth participants; which may include free training and availability of resource persons. At the same time, both organizations will jointly and separately continue to conduct advocacy sessions to create awareness among the different stakeholders who can provide continuous assistance to the project.
Finally, this joint proposed project mainly focuses on ensuring the financial sustainability of its beneficiaries by providing them with vocational and technical skills as well as livelihood trainings to help them earn income and become self-sustaining. In the long-run, successful graduates of the project will also be requested to become resource persons to new batch of participants, which will help us to ensure the continued implementation of the proposed joint project.
Support Out-of-School Youth Education Programs Today
Our out-of-school youth have a hope and a future. Through our partners’ kindness, we were able to bring aid, security, and education to these kids. Be a part of this family today and leave a mark to these OSY’s lives. Support our initiative to provide quality education and together, let’s bring hope and a better life to them. Donate to Childhope Philippines now.
As part of Childhope Philippines’ ongoing commitment to empowering street youth in Metro Manila, Project Bamboo, formerly known as the Street Youth Empowerment Project, continues to educate and train Filipino street youth in areas such as alternative education and service skills.
Aside from alternative education and service skills, Project Bamboo also provides livelihood trainings for youth participants in business concepts that they can choose to start on their own.
Project Bamboo: A Closer Look
Project Bamboo provides street youth with the opportunity to address their economic needs in less, if not non-hazardous ways. It also aims to provide street youth with vocational and technical skills that would allow them to become gainfully employed or to establish their own business enterprise in the future. Among these include food processing, T-shirt printing, perfumery, and preparation of household items such as dishwashing liquids and fabric conditioners.
As for the facilitator and resource persons, those in charge of the livelihood trainings will be from partner nongovernment organizations that run social enterprises. They’ll also come from small businesses, owners who are willing to impart their knowledge and expertise on making different products which they sell for a living.
Finally, a livelihood fair will be conducted at the end of the trainings to allow the participants to showcase what they have learned and to allow them to practice skills in business.
Livelihood Fair 4.0
This year’s livelihood fair was held at the Manila-Sacramento Library in Paco, Manila, with 13 youth participants. The goal of this activity was for the participating youth and parents to become acquainted with basic entrepreneurship skills and to put what they have learned in their training into practice.
As for the project coordinators of the Project Bamboo, they see this event as an opportunity to showcase the fruit of their training of the youth participants. Mr. Melchor Amante, project coordinator sayid, “This initiative is a great opportunity for our youth participants wherein they could display they livelihood products and services of our program participants.”
Acknowledging the challenges the participants face in terms of the available resources, he added that the program aimed, “to show support since they have very limited access to a large market; as well as to encourage them to strive further in order to progress and achieve an improve quality of life.”
Among the items sold were T-shirts, face masks, dishwashing liquid, hand sanitizers, milk tea, rice cakes, fruit chips, and freshly baked cookies; as well as processed foods such as longganisa, tocino, and lumpianisa.
Support Project Bamboo and Our Other Livelihood Programs Today
With the current issues that trigger problems for the poor, it’s easy for them to lose hope. But having organizations such as like Childhope Philippines whose mission is to provide gives a glimpse of hope toward change. Be an agent of change today and leave a mark to other people’s lives. Support our initiative to provide quality education and together, let’s bring hope and a better life to them. Donate to Childhope Philippines now.
Childhope Philippines and Asian Community Center (ACC21) continue its mission in helping the street youth of Metro Manila by empowering them to change their lives better through engaging them in different livelihood/service skills training that will help them to have a sustainable job and have an income generating activities.
The selection of potential youth participants for the Project Bamboo, the new project name of Street Youth Empowerment Project / Vocational- Technical Skills Project, was done by the street educators. There were initial of 20 youth participants referred by the street educators from different areas in Manila, but only 15 street youth were only show interest and ensued to continue to join the Project Bamboo.
The new street youth participants composed of five females and ten male, ages 16 to 24 years old, are mostly come from Ermita and Caloocan area. Only one of participants is a street-based youth while the other participants are considered as community-based youth.
The duration of their training started last April 2022 and expected to finish by end of September 2022. And here are the highlights of their training from April 2022 to June 2022.
Skills for Life Session
The Skills for Life session is part of the preliminary activity wherein the street youth participants teach on how to communicate well to each other and able to know their strength and weaknesses.
This session allowed the participants to share their experiences in life without any hesitation and to learn from others’ life experience – that helped them release any guilt feelings from themselves. The topics that they went through are “Self -awareness”, “Inter Personal Relationship”, “Critical thinking”, “Problem Solving”, “Conflict Resolution”, “Coping with Emotions in a positive way”. These topics were able to prepare the participants with any challenges in life.
Fourteen (14) street youth participants attended the said session at Museo Pambata and the session was facilitated by Mr. Balaguer.
Financial Literacy Session
Street youth participants were taught how to manage and save money through a three-day Financial Literacy session held last May 27 to 29 and was facilitated by Ms. Sineneng. It aims to teach street youth participants to save money – a discipline and skill that will be required when they are helped to develop a vocational skill to eventually earn a living and leave the streets. Street youth who are not taught how to manage, value, and work for money lack the skills they need to be self-sufficient. This session has impact not only on the youth’s future finances, but also self-esteem, relationships, and overall enjoyment of life when he or she matures into adulthood.
The session also focused on how important to make their own journal where the participants can monitor their daily expenses. They learned also the difference between needs vs wants.
Entrepreneurship Session
This three-day session taught the street youth participants on how to become entrepreneurs with the tools and understanding of how to make their businesses a success. This session held at Museo Pambata and facilitated by Ms. Sineneng. The session are composed of different topics such as business management strategy, how to make a business plan, traditional and online marketing strategy, and how to understand the advantages and disadvantages of running a small business.
Values Formation Session
As part of their employability training, these street youth participants joined in a values formation session last June 22 at Museo Pambata, Manila City. This two-day session aims to develop youth's good values that will help shape them into a better person. We believe that youth have strengths and weaknesses, but the key is to help them define their own values and find what they love doing. The facilitator highlighted the importance of humility and faithfulness and to respect each one of them based on their faith and belief.
Through these efforts,Childhope Philippines will be able to encourage the street youth to start their own ventures and jobs. It aspires to give them hope to support themselves and their families using their skills. With the current issues that trigger problems for the street youth, it’s easy for them to lose hope. But having groups like Childhope Philippines whose mission is to that provide help for the poor gives a glimpse of hope towards change. Help more street children have a better future!
Project Reports on GlobalGiving are posted directly to globalgiving.org by Project Leaders as they are completed, generally every 3-4 months. To protect the integrity of these documents, GlobalGiving does not alter them; therefore you may find some language or formatting issues.
If you donate to this project or have donated to this project, you will get an e-mail when this project posts a report. You can also subscribe for reports via e-mail without donating.
We'll only email you new reports and updates about this project.
Support this important cause by creating a personalized fundraising page.
Start a Fundraiser
Make a monthly donation & get 
