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GFF HELPS PHILIPPINES BRINGS AGRICULTURE IN VILLAGES AND BEYOND IN APRIL 2023

FREE SEMINAR ON AFRICAN SWINE FEVER (ASF) PREVENTION AND RABIES AWARENESS IN COLLABORATION WITH THE MUNICIPAL AGRICULTURAL OFFICE OF BANGA TOWN

The Philippine Team is currently working with the village of Muguing in Banga Town under the GFF HELPS Adopt-A-Village Project. This is for the benefit of the residents of Muguing where most of them are farmers, hog/pig raisers and agriculture/animal-related occupations. We planned for a timely seminar that could benefit everyone. We collaborated with the Municipal Agricultural Office (MAO) in Banga Town and after a series of fulfilling the required documents to the Town Leader, Village Leader and MAO Head, we were able to invite 2 smart Registered Agriculturist, Miss Jhinke Navarro and Mr. Dennis De Mesa, and they were able to conduct our first ever face-to-face seminar where it was attended by 25 residents, including the Village Councilors and Secretary, last 28th March 2023 in Muguing Village.

Before the seminar started, we checked the attendees Blood Pressure and Weight to simply provide assistance for them and after that I introduced Sir Owen Glenn and the GFF HELPS Philippines. We then started the seminar, during the 2-hour event, the speakers provided printed copy of their talk, and they presented meaningful and up-to-date talks about the fast spreading of African Swine Fever (ASF), and its prevention. The rabies awareness where also tackled as it is one of the most cases during summer, especially that dogs are sensitive to hot weather and children are outside playing hence they are the most vulnerable.

During the talk, many of the residents raised questions about tips on how to raise healthy hogs/pigs and how it can prevent the ASF, as well as the benefits that they could get whenever they’d bitten by a dog with rabies, and so on which were all answered gracefully by the speakers. The seminar ended with some snacks cooked by our Association Member and awarding of Certificates to the speakers and participants.

REMEDIAL CLASSES

“Assisting students to achieve expected competencies in core academic skills such as literacy and numeracy.”

Remedial Classes are ongoing in the four schools: Banga Elementary School, Muguing Elementary School, Sigcay Elementary School, and Lapnag Primary School. Students are pulled out from their respective classrooms to join the remedial classes. These are the selected students who have slower academic progress. We observed that they were so excited to start and participate in the remedial classes. During the class, most of them participated well, but some students still needs guidance to complete the task. One-on-one guidance is needed because some of them can’t understand or follow simple instructions. But still, they learned a lot from CVC flashcards, activity sheets with pictures, reading aloud then spelling words. We give prizes like stickers, stamps, etc. to motivate them in doing their activities. Students who participated well in reading words are the ones who got high scores when it comes to spelling. Overall, they’re still progressing and applying what they’ve learned in remedial classes. We’re happy to see that they’re having fun while learning!

SPORTS PROJECT

“Awakening Children’s love for Chess and Scrabble”

This coming May, our Team will start the Sports Project where it highlights the teaching -and-learning on Chess and Scrabble. We are done visiting and talking to the School Principals of both schools, Sigcay and Banga Elementary Schools. The Letter of Intent were also signed, the materials are also ready as well as ourselves when introducing and teaching the school children these Sports. The School Principals were happy knowing about our project for the children and according to Mr. Norman Remaneses, School Principal of Sigcay, “This is a good project,it will help our students excel more in Sports. I hope that you could also help us in training the children in Mathematics-related Sports like Sudoku, Kakuro and Tower of Hanoi.”

Aside from ourselves training the children, we have also invited a consistent Chess Awardee who is willing to teach the kids with us. The parents of the children are also happy knowing it and they said that it is one of the steps to limit their kids’ cellphone usage.

Project feedback from various beneficiaries

Jamaica Gonzales (student) –
I’m very happy because
I have books to read.
Thank you Sir Owen for the books that you sent to us

Since we started our Reading Workshop & Mobile Library, Online Storytelling, and Remedial classes, we made a difference in the lives of the kids, parents, teachers, and schools. These projects were running for a significant period of time. Last March until this April, we collected feedbacks from kids, parents, and teachers about the impacts that the project brought to them as well as their message for the GFF HELPS and to Sir Owen. We made a video of the compilation and uploaded it in YouTube. Here are some feedbacks:

We are happy to be part of the students’ progress and the schools’ vision. We will continue these projects as long as there are students who are willing to learn.

·Mrs. Zenie Felipe (Association member) – Online Storytelling helped my daughter to expand her thinking. She likes to read now.

Ma’am Shearel Rebaño (Teacher) – Thank you so much to GFF HELPS because the Remedial Class helped our students to read and count.

Joe FisherGFF HELPS PHILIPPINES BRINGS AGRICULTURE IN VILLAGES AND BEYOND IN APRIL 2023