Erda Foundation, Inc

ACCOMPLISHMENT REPORT SCHOOL YEAR 2016-2017 CHANCE RIPPLE CHANGE Celebrating 42 Years ERDA FOUNDATION, INC. Continue, Realize and Live the Legacy of Fr. Pierre Tritz, SJ for the Poor Children School Year 2016 – 2017 was a mixed combination of various As the development workers, human and child rights advocates emotions and experiences from fruitful, fulfilled, exciting, we are facing the challenge to advocate more for justice, human happy, sad, fearful, challenging and hopeful. and child rights and for life. Why Fruitful, fulfilled, exciting, and happy? This is in relation to Sad, Fr. Pierre Tritz died last September 10, 2016 at the age of ERDA’s accomplishments where there were 24,563 children, 102, supposedly 103 because his birthday is on September 19. youth assisted, facilitated their access to basic education. More ERDA would continue Fr. Tritz’s Vision and Mission to help the than 14,000 households and more than 250 communities were disadvantaged children through education; and empowering provided services and participated in the developmental, them, their families and communities to prepare them to face integrated, and sustainable programs of ERDA like livelihood, challenges. savings, organizing, capacity building and strengthening structures that would protect the children and partnerships. ERDA would continue to be guided by Fr. Tritz’s principles, lessons and values - Love and Educate Children; Work with The past 10 months from July 2016 to April 2017 was very Efficiency, Honesty and Passion; Sustain Friends and Partners; fearful and challenging time in the Philippines especially with and Believe that God will Provide. These principles or lessons the Social Workers, Community Organizers and Human Rights have been very simple, very basic, and yet powerful. ERDA is still Advocates. With the new President of the Republic and here after 42 years, helped more than 850,000 children and generally new administration, some unwritten policies youth, and made a difference in the lives of the families, (especially its program on the War on Drugs) seemed anti-poor communities, volunteers, supporters and friends. and had no respect for human rights and human beings. Hopeful, ERDA lives at 42 years, because of its positive views ERDA’s beneficiaries (children and families) lived in urban areas and believe in people and situations. “When there is darkness, where there were people who allegedly/ suspected illegal drug there is light.” This has been the natural flow of life. But of users, pushers and dealers. Many people (men, women, young, course, the people are always the prime movers. old, even children and still counting) died in these communities because of drug related issues. They were fathers, mothers, ERDA would always continue to face the challenges in relation to sons, daughters, brothers, sisters, grandparents among others. our commitment to the poor children because we were armed with the experience, competence and guiding principles shared For now, this government seemed to abuse its power with the by Fr. Pierre Tritz. ERDA strongly believes in people, life and God. almost impunity. 3 Executive Summary ERDA Foundation reached, assisted, facilitated the access to ERDA had six (6) mobile schools in some areas of operations basic education of 24,566 children and youth. and established 41 Learning Resource Centers (LRCs) Majority of them were into child labor areas. Junior These children, youth were into various modalities and Educators, parents, BeST trained volunteers, students, levels of education, from kindergarten/ preschool, foreign and local volunteers facilitated the learnings/ catch- elementary, high school, alternative learning, college and up/ tutorial sessions. There were 2,861 participants in the technical vocational. Majority of children, youth were into sessions, and 720 among them completed the sessions for formal education and some in alternative learnings. Children Reading and Mathematics. ERDA had already trained two (2) were distributed in different cities and municipalities in batches of Junior Educators. ERDA also projected to train different regions. parents/ women and more volunteers. Half of these children and youth were 12,863 child laborers Alternative Learning System (ALS) sessions in Tondo, Manila and at-risk of becoming child laborers in the sugarcane was piloted by ERDA. Based from the results of the ALS – plantations. ERDA was part of the ABK3 LEAP, a time bound A&E (Accreditation and Equivalency) passers, ERDA had project on Child Labor prevention in Sugarcane Plantations. always a good history of learners passing the A&E test - The project was implemented for five (5) years in starting from 50% passing rate when ERDA started to the partnership with two (2) international organizations – World present 100% passing rate in 2016. ERDA considered to Vision and Child Fund. The project ended last June 2016. expand ALS Program in terms of number of classes organized and or in partnership with other ALS The 11,703 children, youth were into regular programs. implementers, both government and non-government. ERDA Social Development Workers and partner organizations were the key implementers of the program. Access to Basic Education has been the flagship program of Half of the number of children and youth were from Metro ERDA. As a Social Development NGO, integrated, wholistic Manila and (some were) from provinces. strategic approach was employed. The families and communities of the children and youth participated in the ERDA provided direct educational assistance to children in process to make a difference and made their condition form of school supplies, uniforms, miscellaneous assistance better. fund and minimal graduation assistance. ERDA advocated shared responsibility with the parents and community in Parents’ Associations and Community Watch Groups (CWGs) relation to assistance and development of children. were organized and strengthened. There were nine (9) parents’ associations that were federated in Metro Manila The Social Development Workers regularly conducted with more than 2,500 members. Twelve (12) CWGs were school visits and follow-ups. To support children who were formed in child labor areas with 327 members. With into formal education, ERDA facilitated catch-up/ tutorial partners organizations in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao, programs especially to those who needed to improved their there were more t0han 50 parents’ associations organized academic skills particularly on reading and mathematics, and strengthened. values formation, arts and physical movement skills and among others. These parent’s associations and federations were the key ERDA federated the BCAs all over the country (from Luzon to like trainings on leadership, livelihood, cooperative, partners of ERDA in facilitating programs, services and activities Mindanao) and named it as National Federation of Children organizational management, savings, parenting, child rights, in the communities (with the families, children, youth, Associations of the Philippines (NaFeCAP). They had their plans, law and ordinances on children, organizing, advocacy, Local barangay leaders, schools and other sectors, structures related activities, programs and projects. ERDA facilitated capacity Council for the Protection of Children among others. to children and development). Organized parents assisted the building for them on leadership, issues of children, child rights, ERDA continued its commitment to strengthen structures that staff to monitor the children. They planned, organized the laws on children and organizational management among realized child rights particularly protection, survival, associations, federation’s projects to complement ERDA’S others. programs. These community leaders were supportive in the development and participation. ERDA worked closely with local implementation of ERDA’s development programs that Every two years, they hold the National/General Assembly. The governments to enhance the functionality of Municipal/ City facilitated the improvement of the communities/ barangays but ERDA staff in-charge coordinated and prepared for the Council for the Protection of Children and the Barangay Council other projects initiated by the community. assembly. Capacity Building trainings were integrated in the for the Protection of Children (BCPC). assembly. Fortunately, there were many avenues and ERDA also facilitated voter’s education to the communities. The The staff in-charge were regularly conducting parent, structures in the Philippines where the children could Foundation did not have a practice of endorsing candidates. organizations/association meetings to discuss the situation of participate, contribute and make recommendations. children at home, in community and school; to update about The Voter’s Education only discussed criteria on choosing the the general issues affecting the community; and to make Last May 2016, ERDA held a National Children’s Assembly on right candidates or leader of the locality and country. recommendations. the issue of Child Laborer. More than 80 child leaders/BCA Volunteers from academe and human rights group were among representatives attended the activity. They presented their the resource persons. While they managed their homes, families and communities, reports and prepared their action plan. Child leaders from Support services and activities for children, families and the organized parents/CWGs, helped and facilitated ERDA’s Metro Manila acted as the facilitators of the assembly. programs,

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