“Educo Philippines went above and beyond by providing tailored assistance that addresses the needs of the children in my community,” says Jillian Padilla, one of the Child Representatives of Educo Philippines during the launching and agreement signing of the Child-led Academy Project (CLAP) last July 10, 2024, at the Pepperland Hotel.

CLAP is one of Educo Philippines’ newest projects in partnership with ChildFund Philippines Foundation Inc. ChildFund Philippines is an international NGO that provides assistance to children facing poverty among many other challenges.

The said project primarily aims to address a number of crucial problems that prevent children from effectively participating in national and local decision-making processes. Through effective communication and advocacy strategies, it seeks to empower children to comprehend policies, establish networks, and mobilize the community to create positive change and advance children’s rights, welfare, and protection within their communities.

“Child participation is very important as children should be a part of decision-making. It is their right to be involved, not just with their families but in their communities as well,” says Gemma Castillo-Goliat, Country Director of Educo Philippines, during her opening statement.

John Vincent Dumadangon, Sector Lead for Child Participation, added that this project will enhance children’s empowerment by developing and implementing comprehensive capacity-building initiatives for “2,000 learner-beneficiaries ages 13-17 years old in 135 public and private schools situated in the municipalities of Manito in Albay, Castilla, Pilar, and Donsol in Sorsogon, and one in Catanduanes.” These beneficiaries will facilitate child-led forums and conventions focusing on children’s rights. CLAP envisions long-lasting partnerships for resource allocation, policy creation, and meaningful involvement with Local Government Units.

This child-led project is not the first time Educo Philippines has conducted. Marlon Villanueva, Director of Programs, says that “this is a consolidation of what Educo has already been doing in the past.”

Child Organizations, according to Villanueva, have been the core program of Educo. He highlighted that Educo has produced child representatives in barangays, municipalities, and even at the national level. These child representatives intervene in designing policies for the benefit of the children.

“And this is what the Child-led Academy Project wants to replicate, to duplicate, that’s our goal. We want to influence schools to strengthen their policies on child protection,” Marlon continues.

Enter ChildFund Philippines

ChildFund Philippines will serve as the local partner organization that will lead the implementation of this project in the aforementioned areas of Educo beginning this July. It is expected to commence after twenty-one months.

Diosdado “Dong” Waña, Program and Sponsorship Director of ChildFund Philippines, added that their group will also engage relevant stakeholders, including private sectors in the Bicol region, to expand further and popularize the movement. The institution aspires to acquire such movements through traditional means, including social media platforms and other events.

Meanwhile, ChildFund Philippines’ Country Director, Anand Vishwakarma, ensures that CLAP will not only benefit the children of Bicol, but he hopes to include other children around the Philippines, including their families and communities.

“Startingly, 2000 children [are target beneficiaries], but we really plan to reach every child,” Anand continued.

Amplifying the voices of the children

“Child participation is not just for those who already have the confidence but participation is also for the children to become empowered children,” says Marinhel Cha, one of Educo Philippines’ Child Representatives. Currently, Marinhel is a proud member of the National Anti-Poverty Commission. For CLAP, Marinhel is interested in including reading literacy in this venture. She believes that reading is the core foundation of educational knowledge, which every child has the right to.

On the other hand, another child representative, Jillian Padilla shared that her experience with Educo has been “transformative not just as a child but also as a student navigating the complexities of education.”

She stated that Educo’s commitment to educational excellence and personalized mentorship empowered her to excel academically and personally. With the help of Educo’s program, children, including herself, acquire the necessary knowledge and confidence in their abilities.

Educo has nurtured their growth through workshops, conferences, and various child-led activities wherein they had the opportunity to gain valuable skills and insights.

“Educo Philippines truly embodies excellence in education and child protection which had a profound impact on my journey as a true Filipino child and to other children so that they can grow and thrive to their full potential as we, the children, are the world’s most valuable resource and the best hope for the future.” Jillian continues.

“As the quotation says, ‘kapag para sa bata, itanong mo sa bata’ and that’s what Educo did. They asked us what we need, ensuring that the programs they created are based on what we actually need,” Jillian added.

An academy without a building

What makes CLAP a unique project is its lack of physical structures. Instead of having a building for an academy, CLAP will develop modules to be distributed to local partners, including the academe.

“So that we are not just one or two implementers but a collaboration of multiple minds,” adds Villanueva.

CLAP will pave the way for Educo Philippines and ChildFund Philippines to cooperate on initiatives promoting child-led advocacy in the region. Following the signing, comprehensive workshops were conducted to develop a mutual understanding of strategies for achieving the project objectives.

The two organizations emphasize the importance of challenging cultural norms that suppress children’s voices. They believe that every child has the right to participate in decision-making processes. Implementing this project will benefit not only today’s young generation but also future ones.

Educo Philippines’ Country Director puts another vision as this project starts, “we hope that our perspective on child participation changes as this project begins. As the saying goes, ‘it takes a village to raise a child, it means that it’s everybody’s business,” says Educo Philippines’ Country Director as she ends her message.

with reports from Ivan Rosario, Daniella Villanueva, Claire Perez, and Billy Oliver, 2024 Interns for Communication and Advocacy