Dear CfBS friends and donors:
We want to share a quick update about the crowdfunding campaign to support the T’boli teachers and school children in the LASIWWAI community.
Teacher stipends, children’s meals and school uniforms were funded through the campaign.
Jenita Eko, leader of the LASIWWAI enterprise, is pleased to report that extra funds from the campaign also were allocated for key T’boli community projects, including:
- New source of drinking water serving 806 families
- New paint for indigenous school classrooms
- Audio visual technology (television and DVD player) for instructional purposes
Jenita writes that many families live in homes without electricity, and access to a communal television has been a great addition to the LASIWWAI community. Community elders, along with parents, established a policy that the TV only will be used only on Fridays. In addition, only educational programming will be shown to parents and children. Parents also have expressed an interest in learning English, so some of the instructional programming will focus on basic language instruction. Jenita assures that the policy about the use of visual technology applies to sustaining oral traditions in the indigenous T’boli community.
The LASIWWAI community also shared photos from their Christmas celebration. T’boli teachers, children, and parents are grateful for your generosity and kindness.
On behalf of the Center for Babaylan Studies core team, thank you again for your engagement in this important project.
Best regards,
CfBS team
Thank you for your continued support!
