Sunday, April 20, 2008 3 youth groups get British grant
BRITISH Council Philippines in partnership with UK Philippines Partners for Peace granted three winning organizations P100,000 each for the 2008 Hatag Kalinaw Project Grant Competition.
Hatag Kalinaw is a youth-led project grant competition for school and community-based youth organizations in Mindanao on how the ideals of peace can be achieved through mutual understanding and entrepreneurship.
Five project proponents made their way to the panel presentation at the Astoria Hotel, Pasig City last March 25 to vie for the grant.
The panel headed by British Council Philippines Director Andrew Picken and Assistant Director Programmes Nannette Mercado were joined by Commissioner Princess Abante of the National Youth Commission, Rachel Gillego from the Office of Senator Francis Pangilinan, Errol Merquita of Tropical Disease Foundation, and Reese Fernandez of the Ateneo School of Government-Youth Leadership and Entrepreneurship.
The three winning project proponents granted with P100,000 are:
1. Kids for Peace Foundation
Ketay de Tribo Koh Katnak (Tulay sa Kultura ug Kalambuan)
Barangay Eday, Columbio, Sultan Kudarat.
The project hopes to see the youth of Eday learn the art of weaving the nito from their elders. In the process, understand their culture, learn about peace and express these concepts as designs in their work. Through this, they slowly build markets and get their identity known to a world that has ignored them, and learn to manage an enterprise with the full respect of their community and environment.
2. Teduray, Lambangian Youth and Student Association (TLYSA)
Integrated Development Project on the Teduray, Lambangian Youth Within the Ancestral Domain Claim
Nuro Upi, Shariff Kabunsuan
This is a community-based project that aims to address the issues on the lack of sustainable livelihood sources among the indigenous peoples. It enhances the awareness of young Kefedewan that somehow affect their socio-economic, political and cultural condition. This will be done by providing the youth farmer's assistance on post harvest facilities to improve economic conditions, and at the same time conduct continuous campaigns and advocacy about youth participation in traditional conflict management within the territorial domain of the tribe.
3. Association of Linamon Young Producers
Good Values through VCO-Youth as Partners in Community Development
Barangay Samburon, Linamon, Lanao del Norte
The project is about contributing to the peace and development efforts through the inculcation of values/virtues while engaging in a profitable modest enterprise via the production of Virgin Coconut Oil (VCO). This is also about engaging specially the out-out-school youths of the municipality of Linamon in the overall goal of the local government to achieve social and economic development.
Aside from the P100,000 grant, a project management training course immediately followed the announcement of winners. The training course helps to further equip members of the winning youth organizations with the necessary tools they need to implement their projects. The winning groups are also assigned with mentors to guide them in the duration of their projects.
For more information about the Hatag Kalinaw project grant competition, visit www.britishcouncil.org.ph, or call Patrick Erestain at (02) 9141011-14 local 117.
