L'Amade
While the Philippines has an economic growth rate of 7%, one in three Filipinos still lives below the poverty line. In Manila, 1 in every 2 inhabitants lives in a shanty town, or 9 000 000 people. The rampant poverty in the capital particularly affects children, of whom 1.5 million live on the streets.
Maltreatment is also a scourge that affects the vast majority of Filipino families since corporal punishment is widely accepted in Philippine society and mentality. According to UNICEF, three out of every five Filipino children are victims of child abuse and one in every four is sexually abused, most often by a family member. Girls are particularly vulnerable given 10% of young women aged 15-19 experience early pregnancy and 14% are married before the age of 18, many therefore find themselves forced to flee the family environment. On the other hand, failure at school and the necessity to earn a living and therefore drop out of school causes families to break-up.
While most of the structures devoted to the care of these girls are limited to providing accommodation and schooling until they reach the age of 18, the School of Life founded by ACAY welcomes young girls with the aim of accompanying them throughout the process of personal rehabilitation and reintegration into society. The strategy adopted by the School of Life includes:
- A group dynamic coupled with the individual mentoring of each youth;
- A peer support / mediation;
- The prioritising and cultivation of responsibility as part of the youth's culture;
- A partnership with families, the legal system and the professional world.
The Philippine Department of Social Affairs, recognizing the results obtained by the holistic pedagogical approach developed over the years by the School of Life, has asked to benefit from ACAY's expertise and to disseminate it within the institutions managed by the authorities Philippines.
- Welcoming 20 young girls into the School of Life.
- Implentation of a dedicated and committed theraptic follow-up.
- Schooling.
- Participating in cultural activities and hobbies.
- Each individual adopts an action plan geared towards achieving autonomy.
- Training on how to be organised and how to manage daily tasks.
- Preparation for financial autonomy.
- Implementation of activities dedicated to the service of others.
- Supporting them in light of a familial reconciliation.
- Access to complementary training and/or workshops.
- Supporting them in the search for an employment and preparing them for professional life.
- A follow-up for the young girls upon completion of their time at the School of Life.
21 girls were looked after as part of the Scool of Life program :
- 4 of them obtained the baccalauréat in 2019 ;
- One girl graduated from hotel school ;
- 2 girls reintegrated their families
School of Live - Reconstruction and recovery of young girls victims of abuse, exploitation and violence
I support this project-
Philippines
Manille
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Project status
In progress
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Duration
2019
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Funding
375 000 €
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Beneficiaries
20 young girls in a residential centre between the ages of 15 and 22.
5 young girls in a period of reintegration. -
Partners
ACAY Mission Philippines
Philippino Government (Department of Social Affairs) -
Objectives
To offer young girls between the ages of 15 and 22 years old, victims of abuse, exploitation or violence, an integrated and adapted care in order to facilitate their reintegration in to society.
Léa
My name is Lea. I have just graduated from a School of Management and Human Resources. After three years at the School of Life, I became independent while ACAY sponsored my studies. My journey within the SOL was not easy. There were many ups and downs, challenges and difficulties: I struggled to manage the different temperaments, attitudes, and personalities of the girls. And yet, in this new environment, I said to myself: there are people here who are ready to hear my story. This story kept me tied to the past, a past filled with anger, fear, with almost no self-confidence, doubts, and negative thoughts.
CloseRaphaëlle
I spent three years at the School of Life. I had the time to immerse myself and felt like I was inside a family in ACAY. They helped me to go back to my past, my painful experiences and to discover myself, to know who I am and what I've been through. As I know myself, I rebuilt my dignity. My coach was also a mother to me. With her, I discovered the love of God for me. Today, this love is for me a sword and a weapon towards all the challenges that I face in my life. As soon as I have any free time, I try to go back to ACAY and spend some time with the new girls.
CloseJennifer
I'm from a poor family. I am the fourth of a family of 7 children ... To make it short, my dad abused three of his daughters and Mom kept silence in front of this family drama. As a result, I lost my interest in studying and became extremely irritable. The slightest contradiction was a reason of stress. I came from another foundation and at first, it was not so easy to open myself, I was afraid of being judged. The day I dared to open myself, I felt totally welcomed as I was. My hope began to come back. This feeling of being treated with respect overwhelmed me. But what I have gradually understood is that the School of Life is not a foundation that gives only food to the hungry, water to the thirsty and clothes to those who need them. Their approach is comprehensive. They offer us beyond anything the family spirit. Without even knowing them, the way they welcome us and live with us makes us realise that we have found a second family.
CloseSuzanne
"If school taught me knowledge, the School of Life taught me the ability to adapt to the challenges of life. This place was for me a learning ground wrapped in a family atmosphere where benevolence reigns: the others will not judge us but support us in our efforts, understand our "ups and downs" ("ups and downs") and train us. "
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