Improving training facilities for upland youth in Upper Pulangi, northern Mindanao

Youth from different villages in Upper Pulangi in Bukidnon and students enrolled in the training course on construction carpentry worked together to complete the carpentry shed, the large classroom, the gabion installation, the rehabilitation of the hydro-generator and the electrical rewiring as part of their learning practicum, with supervision and guidance from local skilled staff and the management team of the Environmental Science for Social Change (ESSC).

This activity was part of the grant assistance that the Special Projects in Christian Missionary Areas (SPICMA) provided last November 2013 to improve the training facilities for the youth who are not in school in Upper Pulangi.  Specifically, the grant was used for the following:

1. Building of a carpentry shed for the youth carpentry courses
2. Purchase of 15 sets of carpentry tools
3. Extension of the student program office that will be used as a large classroom and conference room for youth classes
4. Construction of gabions to strengthen the foundation of the students’ dormitory
5. Rehabilitation of the hydro generator to enable stable and sufficient power supply for welding machines and other power tools during the youth skills training activities

Sixteen youth participants (14 boys and 2 girls) who completed the Hulas construction carpentry and sewing machine courses, a skills training for the youth that was run for two months from 16 January to 15 March 2014, contributed at least 80% to the completion of the construction work.

The installation of the gabions in the students’ dormitory was made possible also through the efforts of youth participants of the furniture carpentry skills training.  This work was part of the preparations for the intense work required for the course and was also a great opportunity to learn to establish foundations for buildings.

The training facilities are working and used by the youth in succeeding training classes.  Much more needs to be done, but this assistance critically supported the needs of the youth training infrastructure, at the same time providing a practical application of the skills training.

For further reading, the ESSC project report can be accessed here.