On Oct 25, Goducate opened its new learning center in the little village of Lanit, 25 minutes drive from the city of Iloilo, Philippines.
About 6 months ago, some Goducate workers started Saturday classes for the children of this village. Prior to this, these same Goducate workers had been teaching these same poor kids in the city of Iloilo.
However, when their families were relocated to Lanit to make way for the new airport, the kids asked these workers to continue teaching them. So the Goducate workers asked permission from the Lanit village-head (called “barangay captain” in the Philippines) to use the village basketball court to hold classes for the kids. However, this became unfeasible later when there was competition from other users for the basketball court.
When a kind Filipino, who resides in the USA, heard about our need, he offered us the use of his large rice-fields in that area for free. So it was decided to fill a small portion of land at the edge of his rice-field and build a little building for a Goducate Learning Center.
The children at the Goducate learning center in Lanit
Lanit is a relocation site for former squatters in Iloilo. Most families struggle to make ends meet and to keep their children in school.
When I arrived on the afternoon of October 25 for the Official Opening of the center, the little building was filled with over a hundred children and another hundred parents and well-wishers. The local village (barangay) officials were also there.
It was indeed a joyous occasion for that little neglected village on the edge of the rice-fields.
The little kids will now get to learn their ABC’s.
And the older kids will have a nice place to study and play.
More photos (click thumbnail to view photos):
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Training session
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