Salinlahi Youth in Marikina
Through Salinlahi Alliance for Children’s Concerns, the One Million Books Campaign was able to reach several children’s communities in Marikina City.
Over the course of three days, Salinlahi, in partnership with local chapters of Salinlahi Youth in Marikina, as well as the homeowners associations in their respective communities, were able to distribute 400 books to children ranging from seven to 17 years old; 257 girls and 143 boys. Most of the beneficiaries were students (Grade 1 to Grade 12) while some of them were out of school children/youth. Task Force Children of the Storm (TFCOS) also pitched in to distribute food and drinks.
The distribution of books were set to start in April, right after Salinlahi received the books in April. However, with the surge of COVID-19 cases in Marikina, as well as other quarantine measures imposed by the national government, this was postponed to a later date.
Aside from observing minimum COVID-19 health protocols (such as wearing facemasks, sanitizing hands, and physical distancing), Salinlahi shared with us, how “in most of the barangays, the books were distributed in front of beneficiaries’ houses in order to prevent the unnecessary gathering of children. In some areas where children have already been going outside for play and recreational purposes, Salinlahi reached out to homeowners associations and officials of the barangay to request for permit allowing the conduct of discussion with older beneficiaries.”
Further, they told us, “The children were gathered either in open spaces and multi-purpose halls with the objective of making them aware of the good intentions of the One Million Books for One Million Filipino Children Project as well as the contents of each book which primarily focused on the rights of children and youth.”
The children were happy to receive their new books — not only because of the new knowledge they might gain, but also because it would be something else to do while quarantining at home in this pandemic. They were also excited to share these books with their siblings at home, and with their friends.
Salinlahi reports that “Most of the children who received Sino Si Juan immediately grabbed their crayons and amusedly added color on the black and white illustrations.”
The One Million Books Campaign turned over a total of 1,500 books to Salinlahi in April, consisting of 300 copies each of Karapat Dapat: Child Know Your Rights and Sino Si Juan, as well as 900 copies of #YOUTHink: Fight Fake News. They are continuing their book-giving efforts and we looking forward to hear from them on how these go.
Salinlahi Alliance for Children’s Concerns is a non-stock, non-profit national alliance that aims to unite and strengthen the network of various initiative in response to the needs and concrete situation of Filipino children. It also aims to promote children’s rights and welfare, both locally and internationally. The organization is also part of various formations and campaign networks. Salinlahi is the Regional Coordinator for Luzon of the Child Rights Network (CRN), lead convenor of the Save Our Schools Network and Unity of Child Rights Advocates against Inhumane Treatment and Neglect of Children (UNCHAIN Children), and a founding member of the Civil Society Coalition on the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CSC-CRC).
