Traversing Islands: Bringing Knowledge to Palawan, Samar, and Leyte
Fifteen schools and community centers are now connected to the Knowledge Channel with the support of Consuelo Foundation and Malampaya Foundation.
WRITTEN BY NINA DE SAGUN, WITH STORIES FROM MS. DORIS NUVAL AND CHRISTINE BAKING
RESEARCH BY LYSSA LACUESTA
With only a small boat as a mode of transportation, some young learners traverse the open waters of Guiuan, Eastern Samar just to get to school everyday.
This municipality located at the southernmost end of the province is one of the beneficiaries of the partnership between Knowledge Channel Foundation (KCFI) and Consuelo Foundation, a non-profit organization established in 1988 quietly reaching out to children, women and families in the Philippines and in Hawaii. Named after its founder Dona Consuelo Zobel Algers, the foundation vowed to be of service to disadvantaged members of the society.
“I think it started November last year… the Consuelo Foundation already knew about what Knowledge Channel does,” said Doris Nuval, KCFI’s School and Community Engagement Head. “One of their projects is Project HOPE or Help Operation for Protection and Empowerment. Meron silang mga schools na tinulungan at meron silang mga community shelters na tinayo para sa mga victims ng Typhoon Yolanda. Ang gusto nilang gawin is to put educational TV facilities sa mga schools.”
More than 10 schools and community shelters in Leyte and Samar benefited in the project, as well as in other areas in Bacolod, Baguio, Quezon City, and Manila. This is the first time that these schools and the shelters will be gaining access to the shows aired on Knowledge Channel.
Reaching more schools in Palawan
Aside from the partnership with Consuelo Foundation, KCFI has also connected four off-grid island schools in Palawan, in collaboration with Malampaya Foundation (MFI), the social arm of joint venture partners Shell Philippines Exploration BV, Chevron Malampaya LLC, and the Philippine National Oil Company (PNOC).
“Meron silang computer pero hindi ganun kalakas ang access nila sa internet, so bihira din silang gumamit ng mga videos sa pagtuturo nila,” shared Christine Baking, Volunteer and Training Coordinator of KCFI. The schools received Knowledge Channel On-Demand packages— laptops pre-installed with more than a thousand Knowledge Channel episodes, games, and other multi-media resources.
Teachers of the beneficiary schools were also trained on how to maximize the use of Knowledge Channel in their lessons. “Since ito din yung first time nilang magkaroon ng Knowledge Channel, naging positive yung response nila dun sa training. Natutunan nila na hindi lang sila pwedeng magpapanood dun sa mga bata pero kailangan din ipa-process yung pinapanood nila,” said Baking.
Knowledge Channel Foundation’s collaboration with Malampaya Foundation and its affiliates started in 2012 to address the needs of public schools in Palawan as part of their corporate social responsibility.
