lLOILO

HIGH SCHOOL AND AGRO-FORESTRY EDUCATION

The Filipino Children's Fund helped initiate a unique agriculture and forestry education project in the municipality of Alimodian, some 25 kilometers northwest of Iloilo City. There, the FCF joined in supporting the animal care component of a significant, joint public and voluntary effort to improve livelihood and Parents in Demonstration Garden educational opportunities for poor children in the region’s rural, mountainous barangays.

The FCF worked with the private Katin-aran Community Outreach Center of Central Philippine University in partnership with the municipal government of Alimodian and the Alimodian National Comprehensive High School.

The agro-forestry livelihood education program was made possible through a contribution of two hectares of arable land by the Alimodian National Comprehensive High School to be used for a demonstration program in agricultural and forestry education and animal care.

The goal of the program was to attract children from the outlying, rural areas who could not otherwise afford to attend high school and to provide them with a livelihood source in animal raising and vegetable gardening under the supervision of Katin-aran Center staff. Once enrolled, the students stayed in Alimodian and lived in residences on the school grounds.

The program allows poor, rural youngsters the opportunity to complete their secondary education and at the same time aquire practical agricultural, animal husbandry and forestry management skills in a cooperative, residential learning environment. Parents are encouraged to visit and to assist when possible in the demonstration garden project and to help the students raise the farm produce and livestock.

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For information, email Ross@fcfinc.org