Provide Protection Through an Education Program

MANILA, Philippines - The shift in the quarantine status from Modified General Community Quarantine (MGCQ) to General Community Quarantine (GCQ) opens more income opportunities to most of the parents of our street children beneficiaries who were engaged in street work or activities.

Based on the guidelines in GCQ, 18 years old to 65 years old are allowed to go out of their houses, and 20-30% reopening of business establishments, wherein there are also an increase in the number of essential workers to be allowed.

Gradually, the street parents are able to support the needs of their families including their daily subsistence. Some of them can even save part of their income for the educational needs of their children whose enrolled in a formal school and for the health and emergency needs such as if there’s a member of the family get sick.

Reciprocate for street parents who are still out of work, they are hopeful that they are able to find a profitable and good-paying job for the succeeding months. Hence, these street parents looking forward for the continuous relief assistance of Childhope Philippines for them to survive.      

Still children, 17 years old and below, are constrained to go out of their communities under the guidelines of GCQ. This is to protect them from up numbering cases of COVID virus transmission in the city. Parents saw this as a good opportunity for children to focus on their online classes and in answering their modules. Hence, majority of children continually expressed their difficulties in understanding their lessons. There is still no clear plan for children to get vaccinated, parents and children are hoping for face to face classes the next school year.

How Childhope Philippines helped their street children in formal school?

Through the continuous support of individual or group partners, Childhope Philippines able to support their street children beneficiaries and able to address the educational needs of their clientele.

1. KalyEskwela Mobile Community Learning Hub (KMCLH) The KMCLH provided the street children beneficiaries access to the new learning technologies and gradually adapting to the new normal learning system at this pandemic time. Street children are free to use the mobile tablets and free access to internet equipped inside the KalyEskwela van for them to attend their online classes. The guidance of the street educators is helpful to beneficiaries in responding to their school related concerns. Only ten out of sixty target participants availed of the services of the mobile learning hub since children who are below 15 years old are still not allowed to go out even under the GCQ. Only street children beneficiaries from Luneta Area has a venue for the mobile learning hub but in some areas, which prohibits the children to go out, parents are only accessible to do research work of their children or printing out of modules on behalf of their children.
2. School supplies distribution. A total of 147 street children received school supplies during the distribution last May 29 in different respective areas. In some areas where the child could not go out due to quarantine restrictions, the parents/guardian were the ones who received the supplies. Accordingly, the supplies will be used on their online and modular classes. Likewise, for face to face classes soon as the pandemic is over. The school supplies provide motivation for the children to go on with their studies since they have educational materials to use on their classes and at the same time help those families who do not have financial resources to provide for the educational needs of their children especially in these trying times.
3. Online Alternative Education Sessions. 53 out of the 60 target participants attended and participated in online alternative education sessions on Skills for Life, Life Skill Life Goal Planning, Gender Sensitivity, Teenage Pregnancy and Adolescent Reproductive Health. These sessions provided understanding of one’s gender, becoming socially responsible teenager by managing his/her negative emotions and stress, and by making use of goal setting, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills in crisis situation.

Childhope Philippines has an all-inclusive street education program in Metro Manila. It provides for basic but urgent needs to support and ensure the continuous and holistic learning and development of its street children participants.

To sustain its street education program and advocacy, Childhope Philippines commits to continue raising funds, calling for donations and forming partnerships with different stakeholders. To help our noble cause for street children, you can donate today!