Mudpack spirit at SDC

Following the mudpack festival organized every year in June in Mambukal, an hour away from Bacolod City, the children recreated the spirit of this celebration within the SDC !
On June 26th, the young people, staff members and volunteers from Virlanie-Bacolod took the opportunity to paint themselves and wear some eco-friendly outfits, made of cardboard and other recyclable materials. The activity topic of the day was the making of cameras from cardboard with the help of Amélie, one of the volunteers. The children learnt how to make the camera from scratch, cutting and assembling the different pieces, and incorporating a silver film within each small boxes. Upon the finalization of these home-made cameras, the children spent the whole afternoon posing in their outfits and make-up. This was actually a very special experiment from the children as they had to stay still for at least 10 seconds in order to avoid blurred and fuzzy pictures... which was not so easy to do! Here are the results of this fun and educational activity...

Involvement of Bacolod City Livelihood Department at SDC

Virlanie-Bacolod has been working in collaboration with the City of Bacolod to support the vulnerable children within the Social Development Center (SDC). It was then justified to contact some of the city departments to suggest their involvement for the benefit of the children at risk. It is indeed the strategy to call for every type of partner, private and public ones, as well as the civil society, to be committed to rehabilitate and train the children and youth, for a successful community integration and empowerment.

The City Cooperation and Livelihood Department Office has decided to join this intervention and proposed to organize training sessions at the SDC. In May, the children were offered to learn how to make jewelry (earings, necklaces, bracelets and rings) thanks to the city employees from this department.
The training has a double objective: providing them with skills and knowledge, which could be used in their adult life, and also empowering the children to increase their self-esteem and personal confidence. This is a critical asset to be considered in terms of individual development and life accomplishment.

Legal awareness of the children at SDC

Jovi Cabcaban, Head of Woman and Child
Desk Police Department

Often in conflict with the law, the children taken in charge at the Social Development Center (SDC), tend to forget that they have rights and need protection, even though they are suspected or guilty of committing an offense. Many children are actually transferred at the SDC because of a lack of guidance and follow-up.
Therefore Virlanie-Bacolod team has proposed to organize awareness sessions at the SDC to inform the children about their rights and duties in the society. The first session was held at the end of April by Mrs. Jovi Cabcaban, Head of Woman and Child Desk Police Department of Bacolod City.

The information along with the answers to the questions asked by the children should help the children to better understand their own situation and issues. The objective is also to make sure that they are able to claim the respect of the right to be protected from any kind of abuse. Considering the very positive feedback from the young participants, the sessions will be continued on a regular basis, with the support from Mrs Jovin, and possibly from IBP lawyers (Integrated Bar of Philippines), or students from the department of Criminology Justice of UNO-R University, partners of Virlanie-Bacolod.

Riverside University partners with SDC

Educational activity: reviewing the values

Recreational activity: 
organization of a birthday party

Since March and upon the initiative from Virlanie-Bacolod, Riverside University (private institution) has become an active partner at the SDC. The objective of this collaboration is to help the children and youth to become responsible and active members of the community by addressing various topics dedicated to promote individual development. Volunteering students from Riverside University are offering services of medical, therapy and hygiene support, while focusing on behavior and values, especially social and spiritual ones.

Individual counseling session

For a few months now, the children have been provided with educational and recreational activities, psychological group/individual counseling, and awareness sessions dedicated to hygiene promotion. Numerous topics and intervention areas will be addressed in the following sessions, such as tutorial activities aiming at maintaining or improving the school level of the children, as well as medical consultations in order to ensure good health for every child at the SDC.

In addition to the energy and commitment of the volunteers, the children have been provided with hygiene supplies and snacks upon every intervention.

Collective therapy session
(using drawing to express the perception of oneself)

Comprehensive program of daily activities and skill training at SDC

Virlanie Foundation started supporting the Social Development Center (SDC) in January. The involvement of the team deployed in Bacolod City includes the facilitation of daily activities aiming at promoting the children's individual development and well-being.

At the SDC, the children stay for a period of time which can be extended from a few days to one or two whole years. During that “detention period”,  the children are left out of the formal schooling system and other educational programs. Considering that situation, Virlanie-Bacolod team has prioritized the need to protect these children from the society's challenges, and to offer them better chances for future reintegration into their families and into the community.

The team has been collaborating, for a few months already, with the Center Head, Mrs Gina F. Castro, and her local staff, to design and implement a comprehensive program of educational and recreational activities. The activities are currently organized by the center's nurse with the assistance of the house parents, responsible for the children's supervision. Every morning, the children have access to a whole range of activities, which include tutoring, artcrafts, and sport activities. In addition, skill training sessions are organized several times a week in order to provide the children with practical skills and possibly initiate a future vocation: manicure, cooking, bamboo crafts, etc.

Virlanie-Bacolod's mission is to facilitate the sound implementation of the activity program, while encouraging local initiatives from the SDC's team members. The ultimate objective is indeed to increase their involvement and commitment to provide daily follow-up and support to the children.