OVER 100,000 children from war-torn Marawi City as well as various barangays of Samar, Negros Oriental, Surigao City, Surigao del Norte, Leyte, North Cotabato, Davao del Norte and Davao City received over 30,000 books from Globe Telecom
It is aimed at promoting literacy and to help them regain a sense of normalcy.
Various humanitarian organizations estimated that about 50,000 to 80,000 children from Marawi are still recovering from the trauma caused by the terrorist siege.
After months of conflict in the war-torn city, Globe commited to provide young Maranaos the needed psycho-social support by filling child-friendly spaces with fun and engaging books.
“We sympathize with our young kababayans who went through trying times of conflict and disruption. To do our share, we commit to provide them with humanitarian support and ultimately help them mold to become better citizens of the country,” said Yoly Crisanto, chief sustainability officer and senior vice president for Corporate Communications at Globe. “We hope these books will not only transmit knowledge, but also aid in rebuilding the dreams of our children.” From interactive storybooks to popular young adult serials, these books will be distributed to different evacuation centers, day care centers, and community libraries across barangays in Visayas and Mindanao.
Globe also tapped Gawad Kalinga (GK) to organize storytelling sessions to encourage the youth to read and learn from the educational materials.
“In every calamity, man-made or natural, the most affected in the long term are the children,” said Jose Luis Oquiñena, GK executive director.
As the government focuses on relief, reconstruction and rehabilitation, Globe continues to provide educational assistance for the affected communities.
Early this year, Globe turned over a total of 20 bikes made by 80 volunteers under Build-A-Bike program.
These bikes were donated to children in Marawi, aged three to six years old.
Globe partnered with the Philippine Air Force and the Marawi Task Force to have these bikes delivered from Manila to Laguindingan Airport in Mindanao. (S)