Sustainable Education Program for Aetas in Zambales

For the second time, FXF Philippines joined Gift in Kind PH on its annual education program to the indigenous children, the Aetas of Zambales. This time, FXF mobilized a small medical team to complement the education supplies distribution. We thought this to be the start of a long-term relationship of providing technical and financial support to Gift in Kind PH after we saw the huge impact this initiative is creating to the community.

Since its inception in 2007, Gift In Kind PH is sel-supporting organization, primarily financed by its volunteers. With a group of 10 people, it started its outreach activity in 2007 by providing school supplies to 50 children in a public school east of Manila.

Soon after, more and more volunteers were drawn to the cause allowing them to reach out to half a dozen more schools in the next 7 years handing over thousands of school packs to elementary students in economically depressed areas.

In 2015, aiming for a more sustainable impact to their education program, the organization adopted the Banawen Primary School and the Sagpat Elementary School in Zambales who were providing education to Aeta communities.

The school is a 2-hour truck ride from the nearest town. Access roads are either through the high forest mountain or along the dried river bed using a farm tractor.

Gift In Kind PH is taking a tiered approach to its outreach program to ensure that more Aeta children graduates from elementary and continue to secondary level. Full living and education subsidy is provided to these children with the goal of getting them to complete a college degree later on.

In 2017, the first Aeta scholars, 6 of them moved up to high school with more graduates expected to follow suit in the next coming years.

SUPPORTING THE CAUSE

Friends Across Frontiers (FXF) is a non-profit, international alliance of experienced professionals and credible social protection specialists and volunteers committed to making the world secure through a well established and effective systems of social protection. We believe that investment in education plays a role in enhancing societal participation and considered an essential social protection intervention.

FXF Philippines is strongly supporting Gift In Kind PH on this innovation and other measurable reforms in education that targets the marginalized and vulnerable groups by improving human capabilities and productive capacity thereby fostering social inclusion.

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