📝 Detailed information
🏢 About the local organisation
Our partner institution Qouta International of Cebu a Women’s Civic Organization, takes the lead in the “Hand in Hand Project” which is primarily implemented for the disadvantaged children, youth and women. They provide educational needs for the children enrolled in the public Day Care Center in Gilutungan Island, Cordova. They also provide training and livelihood assistance to young mothers and deaf/hard in hearing youth (people with disabilities). The project aims to support school facilities that need improvement, nutrition and wellness of children and youth as well as skills and livelihood development.
💼 What the programme involves
The project aims to assist in the renovation of Gilutungan Day Care Center in Gilutungan Island, Cordova,Cebu. It hopes to contribute to the improvement of quality educational learning experience of the marginalized children in the said area.
With the support and assistance of local volunteers, community residents and international volunteers, they will have the activities such as:
1. Help in the renovation of the school facility like repainting and beautification
2. Assist in the provision of nutrition, health care and wellness to local children and youth
3. Undertake environmental related activities like coastal clean-up, tree planting and
developmen of garbage disposal system, , etc.
4. Interact with the local children and youth through art, sports/games and team building
5. Exchange of culture through music, games, food, language, etc.
🏠 Accommodation on site
The international participants will be accommodated at a local community facility in the project site. It is built of light materials with very basic facilities. Personal sleeping bags are needed.
Food will be prepared by the local volunteers. The participants are encouraged to assist in the preparations of the meals (if there are given time). Filipino food would be mostly served during the breakfast, lunch and dinner.
📍 About the location
Gilutongan Island is one of the 13 Barangays of the municipality Cordova, Cebu Philippines. It is considered as one of the tourist sites in Cebu but underlying the beautiful beach and diving areas is a population of 1,543 that composed a small community. The island has no access to clean, safe drinking water and electricity. They transport all their drinking water and goods from the main island of Mactan, Cordova. The community’s main concerns are water, electricity and massive increase of garbage. The area unfortunately, does not have appropriate dumping area and like their water and goods, all garbage are transported to the main island in Cordova.
During leisure time, volunteers can choose to stay in the Gilutungan island for swimming or snorkeling/diving or island hopping to nearby islands of Cordova and Lapu-lapu City. They may also visit various cultural heritage sites of Mactan Island and Cebu City which is known as “The Queen City of the South” having a very rich cultural heritage. Cebu City is among the center of Catholic Religion that draws millions of Filipinos flocking the City during the month of January to celebrate the Feast of Senior Sto. Nino.
ℹ️ Additional information
Participants may bring their local food (Snacks/drink), educational supplies and art materials and used educational books if possible to be used and distributed to local children/youth during camp.