COTABATO CITY – To uplift the conditions of Bangsamoro youth in conflict-affected prone areas, the Islamic Relief Worldwide – Philippines (IRW) and Ministry of Basic, Higher, and Technical Education-Technical Education and Skills Development (MBHTE-TESD) organized a 3-month technical-vocational training courses for scholars in Maguindanao.
On Wednesday, 166 youth scholars from the municipalities of Datu Saudi Ampatuan, Datu Hoffer Ampatuan and Datu Piang in Maguindanao completed a 3-month training on National Certificate II and certificate courses on land preparation and plant crop propagation.
Part of the NC II courses offered were carpentry, sewing, bread and pastry, organic agriculture, and driving.
The graduation ceremony, held Nov. 18 at Datu Saudi Ampatuan Covered Court, carried the theme: “Peace through Livelihood Opportunities for the Youth”. It was spearheaded by IRW and MBHTE-TESD, and sponsored by Sweden International Development Agency (SIDA).
Salihik Mangelen, Provincial Director of TESDA Maguindanao, MBHTE-TESD Director Ruby Andong, and Christopher Estallo, Program Manager of IRW, conferred competency certificates (NCII and COC) to the graduates. The IRW also distributed livelihood starter kits.
Andong, who represented MBHTE Minister Mohager Iqbal, reiterated the importance of competency certificates issued by TESD, as they can be used for faster processing of job applications since they possess the qualification and competency of skilled workers.
“We were given values transformation training, entrepreneurship training, and skills training. We can utilize these mechanisms as our means to look for a job or start-up businesses. This initiative is also inclined to support the moral governance being instilled by the Bangsamoro Government,” she said.
Meanwhile, Estallo of IRW, shared that through the SIDA, the tech-voc training project is one of the 3-year long programs and interventions for the Bangsamoro communities afflicted by armed-conflicts and displacement.
Around 8,000 youth across the Bangsamoro region are targeted to benefit from the programs.
“Isang-libong kabataan ang nakatakdang tutulungan sa probinsya ng Maguindanao. Magsisimula tayo mula sa 166 na kabataan para mapatunayan natin ang kagalingan at katapatan ng IRW, Local Government Units, at ng mga iskolar,” Estallo said.
“What makes TVET scholars (the graduates) different from others is the compassion, sincerity, excellence and stewardship to obtain their courses,” he added.
Salamat Ebrahim, 25, from Datu Saudi Ampatuan, completed an NCII on Organic Agriculture Production.
“Nag-enrol po ako sa TESD dahil bukod sa libre ay nais ko rin pong madagdagan and aking kaalaman. Gusto kong matulungan ang mga magulang ko lalo na’t nasa farming din ang kanilang hanapbuhay,” Ebrahim said.
Samraida Alpa, 24, from Masigay, Datu Piang, graduated in NCII Bread and Pastry. She is considering to start her own business and apply the techniques she learned from the training.
Also present on Wednesday’s ceremony were Musib Tan, Municipal Administrator of Datu Saudi Ampatuan who represented Municipal Mayor Edris Sindatok, Ittihadun-Nisa’ Foundation Inc. Bangsamoro Women Training Skill Center, Darussalam Institute of Technology Inc., Lamalan Balis Flash Image Learning Center, VMC-Asian College Foundation Inc., and other LGU officials. (Bureau of Public Information)
