World Vision provides school items for students
World Vision continues its provision of school items to assisted children who will be attending module-based or online classes under the new school set-up this coming school year.
Observing proper hygiene protocols and initially coordinating with the local government units, World Vision staff and volunteers met with assisted children to give them the needed school items that include pens, notebooks, among others.
“World Vision is currently doing its Back-to-School campaign which aims to provide school kits to more than 28,000 school-aged Filipino children this school year. The school items will support the need of children as they start their classes soon,” Chifadel Mabolo, World Vision Program Manager in Metro Manila, said.
After weeks of quarantine, most of the families are still coping with the lost of job or are having difficulty managing their finances. In a recent World Vision survey conducted across 22 communities , 92% of the 423 adults asked said their livelihoods were affected by the mandatory quarantine. Most of them, 69%, were daily or casual laborers, while 71% of the respondents said that they suffered loss of jobs or reduction of salaries.
Mabolo added, “By providing their children with basic school supplies, parents may spend their money on other equally important needs such as food.”
Jhonel, a recipient of World Vision’s Back-to-School campaign, and his family has been affected by series of lockdown in his community due to rising COVID cases. His parents earn their income by making clothes pin which gives them Php20 a sack. His father has been in and out of jobs lately. “We’re trying to survive,” Joyce, Jhonel’s mother, said.
The Philippines will officially start its academic year on October 2020. Students will not physically return to schools but classes may be conducted online, with modules or blended learning until the government allows physical holding of classes in schools. The new school setting aims to mitigate the spread of COVID-19, which is still affecting many Philippine communities.
Positive coping
In addition to school items, World Vision also provides a set of activity sheets that would help children and their family to express their thoughts and emotions while on quarantine. The worksheets feature activities based on World Vision’s Celebrating Families Module that teaches goodness, cultivating a grateful heart, and practicing forgiveness among family members.
“The worksheet will guide families make a more productive use of their time together at home. The activities can function as ice breakers and as reflection material for family members to reflect and talk about their experiences, joys and struggles. Some parts of the worksheets will also help families share their thoughts and feelings about the current COVID-19 crisis,” Charisma Callejo, World Vision’s Spiritual Nurture for the Filipino Children Project Manager, said.
A global survey conducted by World Vision recently showed that children aged 8 to 13 are suffering from emotional distress and troubling feelings due to uncertainty and isolation brought about by the COVID-19 crisis. Among the negative emotions expressed by the children were anxiety, anger and worry due to uncertainty and dealing with isolation. The study, conducted between March and April 2020, interviewed 101 children from 13 developing countries, including the Philippines.
“We pray that as families go through the worksheet activities, they will be inspired to continuously improve their family relationships and their bond will be strengthened,” Callejo said.
World Vision’s partnership with various churches nationwide has been instrumental in ensuring that children and families are emotionally and spiritually coping with the stress brought about by the pandemic.
World Vision also works closely with the Department of Education (DepEd) to include child protection modules and life skills workbooks in the DepEd Commons, a free online platform that provides continuous learning for children whose classes were disrupted. The materials are geared towards teaching children essential life skills, personal safety, positive coping, among others.
