Community-Led Development Among the Agay Tribe
Promoting growth through education and community leadership
Project Information
Project Status: Active
Start Date: 2003
End Date: Ongoing
Country: Philippines
Resources
Community growth, education, and empowerment
In the northern region of the Philippines, many members of the Agay – a traditionally nomadic, Indigenous tribe – have settled within the proximity of a government-run primary school where World Hope International has been implementing a process of community-led transformation.
The Agay nomadic people are scattered and living in their forest habitat, having high child mortality rate, living in the midst of insurgencies, no permanent livelihood, very subsistence living and were taken advantaged by other groups.
Many challenges persist for the Agay, including non-inclusive access to education for many of their children. Despite having free education in primary and secondary schools, with limited livelihood and income by parents, many Agay children are unable to progress in school. As youth are forced to drop out from school, they are at high risk of suffering exploitation and violence.
To combat this, World Hope works with a school in the region to provide additional educational assistance to those that need it. Among other things, there are projects for the economic empowerment of women by teaching them how to make soap, weave baskets and grow vegetables to sell. The reconstrution of houses destroyed by natural disasters has also helped the stability of the community by providing stronger, safer living quarters.
Project Goals
- To promote inclusive wellbeing and improved education outcomes of all children in the northern region of the Philippines
Expected Outcomes
1. Strengthened leadership and management capacity of the Tribe Council to oversee and manage the community-led development initiatives
2. More inclusive access to basic education for Indigenous children and youth empowered to advocate for the wellbeing of Indigenous Peoples Group
“I am very thankful to God because I am still here and still alive. Many years before we did not have comfortable shelter. Then we heard about this work and came here. From the very beginning we believe that this was given by God, now we live in a comfortable house. We used to move from place to place with our surviving children. Then we started to have some income so we live a bit better.Now, I try to manage my livelihood for our 4 surviving children and grandchildren,… Before we used to eat only once a day but now we have food to eat most of the times, and sometimes we eat three times a day. We have farm to do and we have banana trees and rice paddies. We have 2 pigs to grow.”
%
increase in school enrollment for girls in primary school in 2019
%
increas in school enrollment for boys in primary school in 2019
How It Works
Child Sponsorship & Youth Empowerment
Children are provided with consistent, engaging, school activities. This has been acheived through different means throughout the year. During school time, meals are provided by the mother’s of the community to remove the barrier of food insecurity and encourage attendance. There are also summer camps and activities that students can go to outside of school. Since the beginning of these efforts, there has been a dramatic increase in enrollment of students and promotion of students to the next level. The resources that are being provided are clearly making a difference in how the community views and values education.
Resiliency Building Among the Tribe
World Hope also works with the Agay Tribe to strengthen food security through strategic crop production; improve the situation of Agay women through comprehensive, community programming and economic opportunities; and build the capacity of leaders – including youth.
