Dear Friends,
This newsletter carries a special feature to celebrate UNLAD’s recent inspiring stories of “Youth Helping Youth”.
4H Club Youth Volunteers : Bayanihan Pabasa Program (“Community Reading Program”)
Baruyan Elementary School (BES), Calapan City, Oriental Mindoro, Philippines
Featured below are teens, ages 13-17, members of the village of Baruyan’s local 4H Club, headed by Gio Laguerta and Mark Allen Fortu. They are volunteering for UNLAD’s “Bayanihan Pabasa Program” (Community Reading Program), spending their weekends to provide one-on-one reading tutoring to one hundred first to sixth graders attending the Baruyan Elementary School (BES). Collaborating with community leaders, teachers and parents, these teens are assisting the students catch up with reading skills, adversely affected by the two-year absence of in-classroom learning due to the pandemic.
L-R: Shayne Abas, Cy Calanog, Angelica Casapao, Jhon Castor, Dianne De Castro, Iverson De Los Santos
L-R: Khaz De Los Santos, Chelsea Dris, Princess Dris, Mark Allen Fortu, Mychelle Lano, Janine Mae
L-R:Jhan Mantilla, Rheyzhelle Mendoza, Ashley Pharaoh
Some inspiring perspective from these young volunteers:
“ Helping others reminds me that we are all in this together and that we must remember to support one another… I'm witnessing how this little help from us could make a difference as I see the kids improving and their eagerness to learn…”
“Volunteering teaches me new things about people, teamwork, compassion, and, most importantly, myself.. it keeps me in regular contact with others and helps me develop a solid support system, which in turn protects me against stress and depression when I’m going through challenging times..”
" I want to contribute to our community, make healthier choices, help kids develop life skills and form attitudes that will enable them to become self-directing, productive members of society…Children are our most valuable resource and our best hope for our future…”
Jessica Guo, her classmates, co-students, teachers and administrators
The Archer School, Los Angeles, California, USA
Our youth advocate, Jessica Guo, is an eighth grader at The Archer School in Los Angeles, California.
Jessica shared with us that she wanted to organize “a fundraiser that combines with my hobby of making candles and can help raise money for students in need. I'm doing this in my school to raise awareness towards people who didn't know how Filipino people were being affected [by the pandemic]and to donate the earnings of my candles to UNLAD”.
This past February, Jessica and her friends, co-students, administrators and teachers at The Archer School raised over $1,200 from selling home-made candles and baked goods.
Please join us in recognizing and thanking our 4H Club Volunteers, Jessica Guo and The Archer School for their inspiring and generous contribution towards serving our mission: To provide our underserved youth with access to education
Terry & Allen de Guzman
Providing our underserved youth with access to education
Small Acts Matter
An opportunity to make a meaningful gift
UNLAD, P.O. BOX 4802, CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA 22905, USA