Thursday, May 27, 2010
SKR TFAP Facebook Page
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Romblon-Transportation-Food-Assistance-Program/119875868049102?ref=ts
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
SKR TFAP 2010-2011
SKR Transportation and Food Assistance Program
Since 2005, the SKR Transportation and Food Assistance Program (SKR-TFAP) has been providing assistance to poor but deserving high school students in the municipality of Odiongan in Romblon province, central Philippines.
Scholars are chosen by school administrators and teachers based on the students’ life situation, family profile, academic performance/potential, and character. The program aims to address barriers to finishing school by assisting the students in meeting their day-to-day needs, particularly transportation and food costs.
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The Program
Public school in the Philippines is free. However, in rural areas such as Romblon province, many impoverished youth traverse long distances to get to and from school every day (for some, more than 2 hours each way). Other students skip meals because they don’t have the means to buy food, with cases of fainting or chronic hunger. Due to these kinds of day-to-day difficulties, a high number of students opt to drop out of school.
Sulong Kabataang Romblomanon, or SKR, wanted to address the main factors contributing to the high drop-out rate of public secondary school students in Romblon. The organization piloted a Transportation and Food Allowance Program in School Year 2005-2006 at Romblon National High School (RNHS), the largest public secondary school in the province. 50 students from different year levels were selected by teachers and given a weekly allowance. Scholars were met regularly to monitor their academic performance and how they were using their allowance. They also participated in SKR-sponsored activities such as seminars, clean-ups, and tree-planting, which contributed to their personal development and engaged their civic spirit.
The program was evaluated after its first year of implementation. It received positive feedback from the scholars and their parents, teachers, and school administrators. The scholars’ academic performance for that school year was compared with results from previous years; there was improvement, especially among the third and fourth year students. The students seemed more motivated to finish the school year and to do well.
In 2007, the program was expanded to a second high school, the Libertad National High School, the largest high school outside the town proper, bringing the number of scholars to 70. In 2008, the program commenced the inclusion of scholars from RNHS’ newly-established Annex in Mayha that services barangays in the south that are already far from the town.
*Total Scholars is the total number of scholars from 1st to 4th year high school
At the end of every school year, the program is evaluated through interviews with the scholars, parents, and school administrators. Changes are made to the program based on feedback. For example, allowances are now given on a monthly basis instead of weekly because this allows the scholars to better plan out how they will manage their stipends. SKR also looks at whether the academic performance of the scholars has improved. Surveys among the students show that the money given to them is spent primarily on costs related to transportation, food, school supplies, and school projects. Many students have emphasized that without this program, they may not have finished the school year and would have dropped out.
The stipend is meant to primarily cover transportation and food expenses. It is not meant to cover all of a student’s school-related expenses; rather it should augment a student’s primary financial source.
SKR relies on private sponsorships and donations to sustain the program.
How to be a Sponsor
The cost of sponsoring 1 student for a year is Three Thousand Pesos (Php3,000) or Sixty-Five Dollars (US$65), spread out over 10 months of classes. We also welcome partial donations or donations in-kind (e.g. school supplies), as well as contributions for administrative and program expenses.
Sponsors will receive:
*A profile and photo of the student they are sponsoring
*A letter from the student
If you wish to sponsor a student, or if you want more information on the program, you may contact:
Trina Firmalo
SKR Provincial Chairperson
Philippine Cellphone Number: +63-918-451-0209
E-mail: trina.firmalo@gmail.com
http://www.skr-romblon.blogspot.com
Edrayl Domingo
SKR Program Coordinator
Phone: +63-918-761-9753
E‐mail: efdomingo@yahoo.com
About the Organization
Sulong Kabataang Romblomanon (SKR, or Forward, Youth of Romblon) is a youth organization with chapters in 8 municipalities in the province of Romblon. SKR was founded in 2003 by a group of young people and has been registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission since 2006 as a private, non-profit organization.
SKR aims to develop and empower the youth of Romblon so they can have the individual and collective capacities to improve their life situations and their communities. SKR envisions the youth coming together and carrying out activities and projects that are relevant to their needs and interests.
Towards the achievement of this vision, SKR sponsors activities such as seminars, outreaches, sports and musical competitions, and environmental initiatives such as tree-planting and coastal clean-ups. It has also provided educational and livelihood opportunities through partnerships and tie-ups with government agencies and private organizations.
- - - - -
Since 2005, the SKR Transportation and Food Assistance Program (SKR-TFAP) has been providing assistance to poor but deserving high school students in the municipality of Odiongan in Romblon province, central Philippines.
Scholars are chosen by school administrators and teachers based on the students’ life situation, family profile, academic performance/potential, and character. The program aims to address barriers to finishing school by assisting the students in meeting their day-to-day needs, particularly transportation and food costs.
- - -
The Program
Public school in the Philippines is free. However, in rural areas such as Romblon province, many impoverished youth traverse long distances to get to and from school every day (for some, more than 2 hours each way). Other students skip meals because they don’t have the means to buy food, with cases of fainting or chronic hunger. Due to these kinds of day-to-day difficulties, a high number of students opt to drop out of school.
Sulong Kabataang Romblomanon, or SKR, wanted to address the main factors contributing to the high drop-out rate of public secondary school students in Romblon. The organization piloted a Transportation and Food Allowance Program in School Year 2005-2006 at Romblon National High School (RNHS), the largest public secondary school in the province. 50 students from different year levels were selected by teachers and given a weekly allowance. Scholars were met regularly to monitor their academic performance and how they were using their allowance. They also participated in SKR-sponsored activities such as seminars, clean-ups, and tree-planting, which contributed to their personal development and engaged their civic spirit.
The program was evaluated after its first year of implementation. It received positive feedback from the scholars and their parents, teachers, and school administrators. The scholars’ academic performance for that school year was compared with results from previous years; there was improvement, especially among the third and fourth year students. The students seemed more motivated to finish the school year and to do well.
In 2007, the program was expanded to a second high school, the Libertad National High School, the largest high school outside the town proper, bringing the number of scholars to 70. In 2008, the program commenced the inclusion of scholars from RNHS’ newly-established Annex in Mayha that services barangays in the south that are already far from the town.
*Total Scholars is the total number of scholars from 1st to 4th year high school
At the end of every school year, the program is evaluated through interviews with the scholars, parents, and school administrators. Changes are made to the program based on feedback. For example, allowances are now given on a monthly basis instead of weekly because this allows the scholars to better plan out how they will manage their stipends. SKR also looks at whether the academic performance of the scholars has improved. Surveys among the students show that the money given to them is spent primarily on costs related to transportation, food, school supplies, and school projects. Many students have emphasized that without this program, they may not have finished the school year and would have dropped out.
The stipend is meant to primarily cover transportation and food expenses. It is not meant to cover all of a student’s school-related expenses; rather it should augment a student’s primary financial source.
SKR relies on private sponsorships and donations to sustain the program.
How to be a Sponsor
The cost of sponsoring 1 student for a year is Three Thousand Pesos (Php3,000) or Sixty-Five Dollars (US$65), spread out over 10 months of classes. We also welcome partial donations or donations in-kind (e.g. school supplies), as well as contributions for administrative and program expenses.
Sponsors will receive:
*A profile and photo of the student they are sponsoring
*A letter from the student
If you wish to sponsor a student, or if you want more information on the program, you may contact:
Trina Firmalo
SKR Provincial Chairperson
Philippine Cellphone Number: +63-918-451-0209
E-mail: trina.firmalo@gmail.com
http://www.skr-romblon.blogspot.com
Edrayl Domingo
SKR Program Coordinator
Phone: +63-918-761-9753
E‐mail: efdomingo@yahoo.com
About the Organization
Sulong Kabataang Romblomanon (SKR, or Forward, Youth of Romblon) is a youth organization with chapters in 8 municipalities in the province of Romblon. SKR was founded in 2003 by a group of young people and has been registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission since 2006 as a private, non-profit organization.
SKR aims to develop and empower the youth of Romblon so they can have the individual and collective capacities to improve their life situations and their communities. SKR envisions the youth coming together and carrying out activities and projects that are relevant to their needs and interests.
Towards the achievement of this vision, SKR sponsors activities such as seminars, outreaches, sports and musical competitions, and environmental initiatives such as tree-planting and coastal clean-ups. It has also provided educational and livelihood opportunities through partnerships and tie-ups with government agencies and private organizations.
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