The Youth Leadership for Democracy (YouthLed) awarded Democracy Grants to the outstanding projects and organizations of ten Leadership and Democracy (LEAD) fellows.
The awards are intended to jumpstart or upscale their change projects. The selected grants focus on themes related to the democratic participation and civic development of youth, youth organizations, and communities.
Projects include YouthTeach by Queenie Tomaro of Iligan City and Project ALAP by Fatima Malate of Davao City. Both focus on education to further contribute to diverse and dynamic efforts to build a positive and empowering environment for the youth.
YouthTeach aims to provide Grade 5 and Grade 6 students a 20-day reading program for improved reading comprehension with the use of comics. The comics form depicts localized and more relatable content that also promote civic and peace education.
Project ALAP aims to create a more culture-responsive basic education for our Ata Manobo tribe in Talaingod, Davao del Norte. The approach is responsive to their context, respects their identities, and promotes the value of their Indigenous Knowledge, Skills and Practices (IKSPs) –how IP Education should really be.
Also awarded are KAMAKA by Nekka Abueva of Misamis Oriental, LOVE Project: LOan to saVE by John Marlou Salido from Aklan, and The BAKA Program by Ezel Lambatan from Cagayan de Oro City. These projects focus on economic empowerment of women and youth.
KAMAKA is a project for the 25 women-partners who are housewives of “padyak drivers” and other daily wage earners and their families in Cagayan de Oro City. This is to address the concerns of urban poor women in the city, brought about by the gender inequalities and exacerbated by the pandemic.
LOVE Project: LOan to saVE is a livelihood recovery project of Project Kalibo, Inc. It aims to make lending accessible to community members especially the young entrepreneurs.
The BAKA (Bayanihan sa Agrikultura para sa Kabatan-onan, Kaumahan, ug Katubigan) is an agricultural leadership model. It aims to create an incubation program for the 20 CDO youth to explore the world of agriculture as a means to increase income.
Sustainable KakaWASHan by Rodolfo Matucan from North Cotabato and Safetalks by Samuel Madriaga from Laguna were also awarded grants.
Sustainable KakaWASHan targets households of immigrants living near dikes, parallel to the irrigation system in Sitio Lower Silangan, Cuyapon, Kabacan, Cotabato. The group lacks access to safe drinking water, facilities for excreta storage, and have poor hygiene practices.
Project proponent Rodolfo Matucan will also receive the special program support from the Asian Institute of Management.
SafeTalks is one of the key subprograms of Healthy Kabataan 2025. It aims to develop a community-designed mobile health intervention and craft local sexual and reproductive health-related initiatives to prevent teenage pregnancy in San Pablo City.
Other projects awarded are The Traveling Salakot by PJ Hernandez of Bulacan, Project UWAY by JJ Ilagan of Cavite and Angela Encomienda of Camarines Sur, and Project Pamana by Richelle Verdeprado of Negros Occidental. These focus on civic participation, culture and identity.
The Traveling Salakot is an empowerment program on civic education and active citizenship. It uses arts and culture as a platform to foster and harness nationalism and patriotism.
Project UWAY or Umuunlad at Nagwawaging Kabuhayan ng mga Agta-Dumagat-Remontado aims to enable the indigenous youth to practice their right to self-determination. This is anchored on their culture and identity through coalition-building, capacity-building, and cooperative establishment.
Project Pamana refers to activities that Sowing Legacy Movement, Inc. will do to promote democracy, responsible citizenship, and strengthened governance among the youth of Negros Occidental.
LEAD Fellowship is a fellowship under the Youth Leadership for Democracy (YouthLed) program of The Asia Foundation and The United States Agency for International Development. The training partners of the LEAD Fellowship include the Asian Institute of Management, Ateneo School of Government, and Ayala Foundation Inc. It aims to develop youth leaders’ capacity to navigate, engage, and optimize platforms for democratic governance through issue-based campaigns and development projects.
Youth Leadership for Democracy (YouthLed) is a five-year program that aims to increase civic engagement leading to strengthened participation in Democratic Governance. The program is composed of leadership development, coalition-building, and civic education and engagement activities among young Filipinos, aged 15 to 30. YouthLed’s approach is anchored on the principles of Positive Youth Development, creating an enabling and productive environment for the youth.
