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Covid-19 pandemic affects life in Bakwit School

Reference: Rius Valle, Spokesperson, SOS Network, +639276995817


Life tries to go on inside the “Bakwit School” of the displaced Lumad children inside UP Diliman, but they, too, had to adjust to the enhanced community quarantine in the entire Luzon.

A “no visitor policy” was implemented by the university and college administrators in the Bakwit School.

But in the bakwit community, activities still abound for some 100 school children.

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Hugs

Lumad day visit: Happy Bonding Moments

27 DECEMBER, Philippines – Lyn and Consie, officers of the Foundation for Filipino Children (Stichting voor Filippijnse Kinderen), visited the Lumad kids in UP Diliman, Quezon City. These children are the foundation’s beneficiary for its project, Support Lumad Bakwit Schools. 

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Meet Angel May and Bandam

The Bakwit School 2019 – 2020

For the Lumad, it takes a village to raise a child and a movement to build schools.

In most far-flung communities of indigenous people, learning is a painstaking process. For a long time, the Philippine government has abandoned its responsibility in making education accessible for Lumad communities leaving them with no option but to walk for several hours just to get to the nearest public school.

But because of their eagerness to learn and develop their rich culture and tradition, Lumad communities persevered to establish their own learning institutions and programs with the help of faith-based groups and cause-oriented organizations. Their school curriculum is grounded on their culture and way of life that reflects their deep sense of identity as Lumad.

In response to the escalating human rights violations, the Save Our Schools (SOS) Network launched last year the Lumad Bakwit School in Metro Manila as part of the campaign to highlight the issue of military attacks on Lumad schools while ensuring the continuity of the operation of Lumad community schools even in evacuation centers.

This school year, some seventy-two (72) students are again in Metro Manila, Bandam and Angel May only two among them. Follow their stories and help the Foundation for Filipino Children in amplifying their calls and advocacies!

The success of this work is only made possible through the help of people like you. This year, the fight of the Lumad for their right to education, land, and self-determination continues.

Let us all be part of the movement to build and support the Lumad Bakwit School!

Learn more and Donate

Swiss volunteer group urges reopening of Lumad schools

This article originally appeared on https://www.mindanews.com/, by Brady Eviota. It is reposted here, with no affiliation.

For Monika Baumann, it feels like their 28 years of work to uplift the plight of Lumads, or the indigenous peoples of Mindanao, was going the drain.

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Lumad children join the commemoration of Bonifacio Day in Manila

Lumad children from the Save our Schools Network joined the November 30 Bonifacio day protest rally. They have been in Manila since July this year and staying in the Lumad Bakwit school, an evacuation school for them, as they’re forced to seek refuge in the main capital due to intensified militarization in their communities.

Indigenous, urban poor kids form ‘human tree’ to promote climate justice

Reposted from GMA News Online

Children from various indigenous and urban poor communities on Wednesday participated in a human formation of a tree in Quezon City to promote climate justice.


In observance of the 30th anniversary of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, different groups organized the Children for Climate Justice event at the Sunken Garden in UP Diliman.

The activity aimed to provide a venue for children and youth to express their concern and grievances over the violations on their rights, as well as the threats against the environment.

Children’s group Salinlahi’s secretary-general Eule Bonganay said the human formation activity is to give light to “environmental plunder.”

“Such include the intention to exploit the rich natural resources of Mindanao’s Pantaron Range through submitting it to big mining companies,” he said in a statement.

Due to this, the Lumad and nearby communities will consequently vanish, Bonganay added.

He also cited the Kaliwa Dam project as an example of environmental plunder, saying it will harm the Dumagat and other nearby IP communities.

Association for the Rights of Children in Southeast Asia  (ARCSEA) President Libertad Dipon said the event provided an opportunity for children to exercise their rights and participate in issues that are important to their sector.

“They were able to call for states, including the Philippines, to declare a climate emergency that would expedite a comprehensive climate adaptation and resiliency package—which will provide long-term ecosystems protection and restoration, disaster risk reduction, and economic and social protection—and to address the human rights implications of the climate crisis,” he said.

The Children for Climate Justice was led by the Save our Schools Network with its member organizations and collaborators Salinlahi, Climate Strike Diliman, Sandiwa Network of Advocates for National Minority Rights, Climate Change Network of Community-Based Initiatives (CCNCI), and ARCSEA. — Joviland Rita/BM, GMA News

Children for Climate Justice (C4CJ)

Reposted from Save our Schools Network FB Page

The 30th anniversary of UNCRC this November creates a momentum for the international community to step up its efforts to eliminate all the threats to a child’s ability to survive, grow, and thrive including one of the most urgent, climate change. Children along with marginalized sectors, though part of the least contributor to climate change, will bear the greatest burden of its impact.


Last September, we have witnessed the thousands of children and youth from all over the globe who filled the streets to demand actions to avert climate crisis. We can even find thousands of Greta Thunberg among the ranks of Filipino children and youth, especially the indigenous people, who lead the fight against plunder of resources and environment as well as its consequent human rights abuses.

Hence, the Save Our Schools Network together with its member organizations in collaboration with the Climate Strike Diliman, Salinlahi Alliance for Children’s Concerns, Sandiwa Network of Advocates for National Minority Rights, Climate Change Network of Community-Based Initiatives (CCNCI) and the Association for the Rights of Children in Southeast Asia (ARCSEA) will spearhead the Children for Climate Justice (C4CJ) during the observance of the 30th anniversary of UNCRC on November 20, 2019.

Thousands of children from Metro Manila are expected to join the event along with different children’s rights groups, institutions, schools, churches, youth organizations, students and fellow advocates all over the country. The activity will be graced by the participation of Lumad children from Mindanao who are now holding Bakwit School in Metro Manila and other Indigenous People Children here in the Philippines.

Children’s Festival 2014, the Hague, Netherlands

Please scroll down for the English version

U bent van harte uitgenodigd voor een gezellige middag vol Koerdische en Filipijnse cultuur: muziek, dans, onderling plezier, eten en leuke spelletjes! We gaan tijdens de middag – op de plek waar wij nú thuis zijn – ook met elkaar informatie uitwisselen over de situatie van de kinderen die opgroeien in de Filipijnse en Koerdische leefgemeenschappen waar wij vandaan komen.

Op 28 september 2014, 12:00 – 18:00

Waar: Koerdische Arbeiders Vereniging, Radarstraat 23, 2525, Den Haag

We hopen met deze bijeenkomst juist voor díe kinderen – slachtoffers van oorlogen, conflicten, natuurrampen in Koerdistan en in de Filippijnen – méér steun mogelijk te maken. De ontvangen inkomsten gaan direct naar onze respectievelijke partnerorganisaties ter uitbreiding van hun werk ter plekke (psychosociale opvang en therapie, pedagogische en educatieve ondersteuning, activiteiten en trainingen voor capaciteitsontwikkeling).


Kom het met ons meebeleven!
Onze wortels verkennen en op vrede hopen!
Op weg naar een betere toekomst!

Toegangs-/solidariteitskaartjes zijn verkrijgbaar voor 5 euro per stuk.
Etensbonnen kosten 4 euro per stuk. U kunt daarmee kiezen uit 5 soorten Filipijns of Koerdisch eten.

(Extra) Donaties zijn ook van harte welkom! U kunt uw bijdrage overmaken op:
IBAN: NL98INGB0004278866
Ten name van: Stichting voor Filippijnse Kinderen
Onder vermelding van: KF Children’s Festival

Voor meer informatie, of kaartjes te reserveren, e-mail (inquire@filipinochildren.net) of bel gerust: +316-30911756 (Angie)


ENGLISH version

You are invited to experience Kurdish and Filipino cultures in an afternoon of music, dance, fun, food and games! Learn about the situation of our children back in our home communities as we come together here in our second home:

WHEN: 28 September 2014, 12:00 – 18:00

WHERE: Koerdische Arbeiders Vereniging, Radarstraat 23, 2525, Den Haag

Through this gathering, we also wish to raise support for children victims of war, conflict as well as natural disasters in the Philippines and in Kurdistan. Proceeds from this activity will be sent to the organizers’ respective partner organizations to support their work (psycho-social debriefing and therapy of children victims, educational assistance, capacity- building activities/trainings, etc.).

Entry/Solidarity tickets are available for 5 Euros each;
Food tickets for 4 Euros each, choose 5 kinds of Filipino or Kurdish to go into your plate

(Additional) Donations are most welcome! Be a sponsor for a minimal amount of 50 Euros, inclusive of 1 solidarity ticket and 1 food ticket.

IBAN: NL98INGB0004278866     Account name: Stichting voor Filippijnse Kinderen
Omschrijving: “KF Kid’s Fest” + (number of tickets) OR (“Sponsor”)

For more information and ticket reservations, please send us a message through email (inquire@filipinochildren.net) OR give us a call:  +316-30911756 (Angie)

Program:

Gates open at 12:00 noon

> Face painting, games, etc.
> Filipino and Kurdish Food, information and products market (open during the whole event)
> Registration for the workshops (op is op!)

13:00 to 14:30: Workshops (children to choose one among)

  • Muziek (Kurdish rhythm and Filipino songs)
  • Games (Kurdish and Filipino games)
  • Painting “Hope and Peace”

Special workshop for the youth: Dance

14:30 – 15:30: Break

15:30 – 18:00: Cultural Presentations and messages

  • Presentations from each workshop group
  • Special song and dance numbers from various Filipino and Kurdish artists and migrants/refugees
  • Closing Ceremony

ORGANIZERS:
International Federation of Free Women and Stichting Helin, SAMAKA-NL, Pinay sa Holland, Stichting voor Filippijnse Kinderen

For the benefit of the Children’s Rehabilitation Center and Salinlahi (Philippines) and Göç Vakfı and Stichting Migratie (Diyarbakir, Turkije)

Kyle’s Walk of the World Collection as of 31 August 2014

As of 31 August 2014, the total amount collected for the Hand for an Orphan project of the Children’s Rehabilitation Center has reached €1640 (Euros), CHF 200 (Swiss francs) and PhP 1790 (Philippine pesos).

Thank you very much!!!

Kyle’s Walk of the World 2014 (Final) edition: 18 July 2014, Fourth Day Report

 

Kyle walked through the Via Gladiola, completing the 160 kms 4-day walk at 3:30 in the extremely warm Friday afternoon of 18th July, so he could collect support for orphans in the Philippines.

He is one of the 39,910 participants who earned their corresponding Vierdaagse Kruis (Four days’ cross) — in his case, his fifth and final one. The last day of the 98th edition of the Vierdaagse Nijmegen (Four Days’ Walk of Nijmegen) was the warmest ever recorded. Measurements of body temperatures of some paricipants reached beyond 39 degreees celsius! Kyle also felt that this was his most difficult day since he joined the walk in 2009. He experienced for the first time “asphalt legs” — first degree burns behind his calves up to the lower back portion of his thighs.

Fortunately, after quenching his dry throat with some cold soda and water, and enjoying a refreshing shower at our foster home – he was able to recover his strength, enough to take our train trip back to Utrecht.

You may still send your sponsorship through the official 4daagse sponsor site (until 22 July, not 18 July as earlier announced):

http://www.devierdaagsesponsorloop.nl/index.php/component/comprofiler/userprofile/wandelaar1821

OR through our bank account:

Account Name: Stichting voor Filippijnse Kinderen
IBAN: NL98INGB0004278866

BIC: INGBNL2A

OR through Paypal (through the DONATE button at the left-hand column of this page)

Once more, thank you to those who share Kyle’s cause! Together, we can always bring hope and healing to the orphans of human rights violations in the Philippines.