Art Therapy Workshop for Cateel Typhoon Victims

Pens of Hope in Davao partners with Help Cateel Movement and Davao Bloggers Society to organize an art therapy workshop for 50 eleven-year-old children on May 25 to 26, 2013 in Cateel Central Elementary School, Cateel, Davao Oriental. When Typhoon Pablo hit Mindanao in December 2012, these kids suffered not only from financial loss and physical pain but emotional turmoil as well. 

Olan (Help Cateel Movement president) with Cateel kids

The Concept

Using art as a medium for expression and reducing anxiety, we conceptualized this activity based on the previous art workshops conducted by Cebu's Beyond Arts Sake, Tsinelas and Bacolod's BINHI Creatives Arts and Crafts Workshop Inc.

In order to relate the participants' experience and current situation, the workshop will focus on their  understanding and connection to the environment. At the end of the activity, the kids are specifically expected to:

• Express their stress and confusion through illustrations, colors and performance art
• Identify doable and proactive ways on how to protect the environment

The volunteer facilitators will conduct the following workshops:

Workshop	Facilitator(s)	Medium	Expected Output
Basic Drawing and Colors	Dan Guillano Anj Nacorda	Pencil, oil pastel	Colored illustration of a favorite place in Cateel
Performance Art	Perry Lequigan	-	Group presentations on how to protect the environment

Program

May 25 (Day 1)

Time	Activity
8:00 to 8:30 am	Orientation about the workshop Getting to know activities
8:30 to 12:00 noon	Basic Drawing and Colors
12:00 to 1:00 pm	Lunch
1:00 to 5:00 pm	Performance Art (Part 1)

May 26 (Day 2)

Time	Activity
8:00 to 8:30 am	Recap; icebreaker
8:30 to 11:00 am	Performance Art (Part 2)
11:00 to 12:00 noon	Culmination
12:00 to 1:00 pm	Lunch

Willing to Help?

There are three ways to help us make this activity happen. First, you may donate any of the following:

• Oslo paper
• Oil pastel (As of May 7, 2013, we already have enough donors for oil pastel. Awesome!)
• Sharpeners
• Snacks (Cardava bananas and sweet potatoes are encouraged)
• Transportation for the volunteers 

Second, you can assist the facilitators during the workshop. The volunteers will follow the itinerary below: 

May 25 (Day 1)

Time	Activity
12:00 midnight to 6:00 am	Travel to Cateel
6:00 to 8:00 am	Breakfast; workshop preparation
8:00 to 5:00 pm	Workshop (Day 1)
5:00 onwards	Dinner; workshop preparation

May 26 (Day 2)

Time	Activity
8:00 to 1:00 pm	Workshop (Day 2)
1:00 to 4:00 pm	Voluntourism Activity
4:00 to 10:00 pm	Travel to Davao City

Transportation to and accommodation in Cateel for volunteers will be provided; however, volunteers have to pay for their own meals for two days. 

Third, share this post to your friends and family who might be interested in helping us.

Contact Information 

If you want to donate or have any comments, suggestions and questions about the activity, please send a message to pensofhopeindavao@gmail.com or kikitavenue@gmail.com.

Community Visit in Amihan, Mati, Davao Oriental

Who would have thought that the best skimmers and surfers in the Philippines, if not the world, need some educational assistance? 

Dahican beach

The Community Partner

Travelers and water sports enthusiasts love the way Amihan Skim and Surf Team members gracefully dance with the big waves of Mati, Davao Oriental. As the fruit of their rigid training, interest in sports, teamwork, self-discipline and strict no-smoking-no-alcohol policy, they have grabbed some of the awards in local and international skimming and surfing competitions. 

Amihan Team's headquarter

When they are not on their board shorts,  however, they are just ordinary kids from big fisher folk families who earn about Php 150.00 per day for the family. This straitened circumstance has resulted to more complicated problems, two of which are lack of food supply for the entire family and the parent's incapability to send their children to school. 

Where they sleep

This situation is the reason why some of the Amihan kids have decided to stay in the team's thatched headquarter along the beach. By providing surfing or skimming lessons to guests, taking care of turtles and cleaning the beach, they receive free food (from the group's income) and shelter (in their "kubo" or hammock in between posts or trees) as well as training from Kuya Jun Plaza, the founder and leader of the group. 

Pens of Hope's Plan

Although the team's positive diversion is admirable, it is sad to say that some of these kids have stopped attending formal classes. Kuya Jun doesn't favor of this as he understands the true value of education in a person's life. He wants them to finish their studies, learn how to interact with guests and be the best that they can be. 

The team's bath and comfort room

In response to this need, we (Pens of Hope in Davao) have decided to make the community our partner from this year. This May 18, we will be going back to the area for a gift giving activity with 19 Amihan students. Many of them are teenagers who have difficulty in reading, writing and speaking simple English. Most of them are teenagers who haven't finished their elementary education yet. 

Join Us!

Interested in joining this activity? Here's our itinerary: 

3:00 am - Assembly time in Victoria Plaza van terminal

3:00 - 7:00 am - Travel to Mati

7:00 - 8:30 am - Breakfast and preparation for the program

8:30 - 10:30 am - Program proper

10:30 - 2:00 noon - Beach activities; lunch

2:00 - 6:00 - Travel to Davao

Program proper will include storytelling, hygiene orientation and school supplies distribution. The storytelling activity will be facilitated by a local volunteer.

The hygiene orientation includes a short session and demonstration on how to wash hands and toothbrush properly. The hygiene kits to be used during the activity will be provided by Bobby Dela Victoria of Exal Industries Corporation and Cromwell Bacareza. We also donated some of the wash facility materials that the community will build before our 13th Big Day. 

Dahican team with POHD vols

Volunteers need to pay for their own travel (P220 one way) and meal expenses. You can also stay in Mati overnight if you want to; just let us know. 

How to Help

You can help this activity by:

1. Donating school supplies
2. Joining us during the distribution
3. Sharing this blog post to your family and friends

Contact Information

If you want to donate or have any comments, suggestions and questions about the activity, please send a message to pensofhopeindavao@gmail.com or kikitavenue@gmail.com.