Megaworld Foundation - Excellence in Innovation in Non-Profit Organizations or NGOs

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Company: Megaworld Foundation, Inc., Taguig, Philippines
Category: Award for Excellence in Innovation in Non-Profit Organizations or NGOs - Up to 100 Employees

Nomination Title: One with the Aetas

Essay:

PURPOSE

In a country with over 7,000 islands, having access from one place to another is vital to Filipinos. However, for those living in off-grid areas, having access to many things especially education becomes a challenge when the nearest public school is a four-hour barefoot mountain climb away.

After being displaced by the historic Mount Pinatubo eruption in 1991, this challenge along with the glaring poverty has been present in Sitio Yangka. Upon knowing their story, Megaworld Foundation, the socio-civic arm of Megaworld, went beyond granting scholarships by partnering with Holy Spirit Aeta Missions (HSAM) to help the impoverished community. At least 60 preschool and grade school Yangka Aeta students (4-17 years old) were living the farthest from Maruglo Elementary School. Due to the exhausting travel, only 10% of the students consistently attend classes. They discontinue attending completely by the age of 10-12 to help their families earn a living or get into arranged marriages. Education is not a priority, resulting to many children growing up illiterate and being taken advantage of by lowlanders who buy their crops at very cheap prices.

GOAL AND SOLUTION

The overall aim of Megaworld Foundation is to improve the Aeta students’ learning experience and help them finish their studies.

In 2016, the Foundation built a furnished dormitory within the school grounds complimented with three meals a day to boost their attendance. To ensure their welfare, a dorm matron supervises the home and helps the students with their lessons.

By personally meeting the students and their families in 2017 for its first feeding activity, the Foundation built a bond with them resulting to more fruitful outreach initiatives.
The dormitory’s first full school year serving as a home to the students begun in June 2018. In time for the start of classes, the Foundation also transported 80 armchairs equipping two classrooms. Later that year, Megaworld employees travelled for three hours to conduct learning activities, inspire students through vision boards, and serve 600 sumptuous meals. Books, learning materials, school supplies, hygiene kits, and utensils were also given.

RESULTS

Megaworld Foundation’s school dormitory surpassed its initial target and now shelters 78 students. They were spared from their barefoot travel as they enjoyed 48,400 meals through the supplemental feeding. During the first half of the school year, 80% of the beneficiaries had consistent school attendance and 97% of them were already expected to finish their grade levels.

Despite being very rare for Maruglo Elementary School students to complete grade school, six students residing in the dormitory graduated, in addition to those who have finished their respective levels in 2019. To celebrate this milestone, Megaworld Foundation volunteers trekked the mountainous province to visit the students’ homes and give school supplies and food packages.

During the same year, the Foundation held a medical mission to accommodate almost 900 Aetas. Pediatric and OB-GYN consultations, dental check-ups, tooth extractions, and haircut services were offered alongside medicine and hygiene kit distribution. The Foundation has also been organizing Christmas gift-giving activities in Capas, Tarlac for the past three years.

Truly, Megaworld Foundation’s compassion for the Aeta students has rippled to their families, classmates, and even the employee-volunteers. The community’s participation in the outreach activities and the teachers’ extra efforts in conducting make-up classes whenever needed show their overwhelming support to the Foundation and what it stands for. Moreover, there was a 660% increase of employee-volunteer engagement who served 900% more meals when the Foundation posted volunteerism opportunities for the first time, compared to its initial visit composed of five employee-volunteers only. Based on the evaluation forms filled-out by the larger group of volunteers, 100% of them were able to see the importance of the “One with the Aetas” advocacy through the outreach activity and 100% are encouraged to volunteer again.

Links:

https://www.megaworldfoundation.com/

‘One With The Aetas’ Supporting Document