Urban container gardening, reading stories on the streets and being rewarded random good moral points are just some of the unorthodox ways of effective learning enjoyed by over 300 children in Agdao, Davao City.
According to Hope for the Nations Philippines Executive Director Tancho Baes at Wednesday’s Habi at Kape discussion, their community school in San Vicente, Agdao is way different from a conventional school for they have adapted homeschooling style, so children can learn at their own phase.
Kids from ages 6-19 residing in the nearby slum area, are being trained and educated under various courses including public administration and governance, the basics of Economics and other more courses that would train these children to be future public servants and leaders.
One of their main and existing projects is the “Learning on the streets” of LOTS. Here, interested children gets paid for reading a book. Baes explained that in this way, these children develop their communication skills in the English Language, enhance their reading comprehension skills and vocabulary.
Another is their Urban container gardening of lettuce and kale which is being patronized by local restaurants in the city namely Nanay bebeng’s and soon, chippens.
Children of Hope For the Nations Philippines are also taught to manage their finances and be responsible at a very young age. Funds from their produce goes 100% straight to “Hope Bank” or their own bank inside their school, mainly run also, by the children themselves.
Baes share that these children started attending the school because they were being fed and given rice.
“I don’t want them to develop a culture of dependency; I need them to be self-reliant.. they need to pull-up their bootstraps and help us out… We don’t call them beneficiaries, we call them partners, now.” Baes said.
Baes and his team also aims to development a template to replicate to other areas in agdao and the whole city, for them to help transform more and more children in different communites to be credible leaders.
“Business owners are willing to give them jobs, it’s just that the integrity and honesty is just not there. We have to change this mind set.” He added.
Given that his team only receives a fair donation from a global organization in Canada, Base continues to brainstorm with the children to find more innovative ways to sustain their operations to hopefully, eradicate Poverty.
