How can one co-create safe holding spaces for learners and community members alike, especially in these uncertain times?

The many ways this can be done are what Sama-Bajau community teachers explored together in the third series of “Daloy ng Karunungan sa Kapanahunan ng Krisis” online learning exchange on the week of May 24-28, 2021.

Made possible through support from development partner, Consuelo Zobel Alger Foundation*, its overall aim was to provide opportunity for reflection on their teaching journey, honing capacities and creativities in delivering rights-based, culturally-relevant, and resilience-focused education to indigenous learners amid new realities brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. Among the workshop participants were community facilitators serving Sama-Bajau learners from Parañaque, Manila, and Zamboanga, as well as government partners from Department of Social Welfare and Development-National Capital Region (DSWD-NCR) and the City Social and Welfare Development Office of Parañaque (CSWDO-Parañaque), and non-government partners from Sun for All.

 

Kanlungan para sa Sarili: Nurturing Safe Spaces for Our Most Indigenous Selves

To begin the first day, Dance/Movement Therapy practitioner in-training Debbie Afuang facilitated the discussion on the participants’ agreed-upon guidelines for the workshop. With key words from the Sinama language such as sarah (patakaran), pakale (pakikinig), panghati (pang-unawa)and Pagdikayu (pakiki-isa), the exercise enabled them to share about the boundaries of any space they would consider safe.

Through guided movement and creative visualization, attendees were invited to reflect while following the lively beat of Igal-Igal, among the most well-loved dances of the Sama-Bajau. Each of them then created an artpiece, projecting onto the paper what their personal safe spaces were about — what or who they saw there, the many feelings they experienced.

The process of mixing movement, music, and the creation of visual arts, was all to give participants an opportunity to embrace and appreciate first their own selves — and at the same time, recognize their inherent strengths as individuals and as among their larger cultural community.

 

 

Kanlungan para sa Kabataan: Nurturing Safe Spaces for Indigenous Children

Pia Ortiz-Luis, executive director of Cartwheel Foundation, was lead facilitator for the second day. She guided participants through a bilateral drawing activity — scribbling with both hands and finding an image that stands out — to encourage further exploration of their own notions on safe spaces for the children they serve. Key insights they shared emphasized how these spaces are characterized by love, equality, responsiveness to needs, and guidance for day-to-day.

Recognizing themselves as important duty-bearers for the Sama-Bajau children’s right to quality education, participants were invited to think back on their teaching journey in the past year. Each one created fabric sculptures using simple tubao or malongs on-hand to represent their favorite memory from school year 2020-2021. They gave each other affirmation in narrating innovative ways they were able to continue reaching out to their learners and even their families, in spite of the many challenges brought about by the pandemic.

To conclude, Ms. Ortiz-Luis led the participants through a brief review discussion of the Child Protection Policy of the Department of Education (DepEd) and guidelines on creating child-friendly spaces from UNICEF.

 

Kanlungan para sa Komunidad: Nurturing Safety and Wellness among Indigenous Communities

Dr. Carrissa Losantas, RN, MD, MPM, DipIBLM, Public Health Physician from Social Innovation for Health Initiatives and Innovations for Community Health with extensive experience immersing in indigenous communities, was resource person for the third day. She explained in detail concrete ways of caring for the self, family, and community in this time of COVID-19. Apart from reminders on basic safety protocols, she elaborated on the science behind variants, the need for vaccines, effective medicine, and home care practices in clear and easy-to-understand terms.

“No one is an island; we each need community,” she said, emphasizing how each citizen ought to do their part in contributing to the wellbeing of even those beyond one’s family circle.

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As part of the workshop synthesis towards the end, participants listed down their key takeaways and immediate action steps given all that had been shared throughout the week. Many expressed their commitment to echoing relevant learnings within their own circles — to their own families, their students, their parents, friends and other community members.

It had been agreed on that the teachers would meet at least once in the succeeding months to check-in on each other, to possibly share best practices, and accompany each other in their journey towards healing and continuing to thrive.

As the new now still calls for distancing among many other restrictions, teachers are convinced that it is possible to create safe spaces where children and their families can grow in learning and resilience — with creativity, ingenuity, and teamwork! Relinda Montimor, Sama-Bajau teacher from Zamboanga, captured the shared conviction of many from the group: “Hindi dapat maging hadlang ang lugar o kawalan nito sa serbisyo natin sa kabataan.” (“The question of place should never deter us from our service for the children.”)

 

*Consuelo Zobel Alger Foundation a private, U.S.-based foundation that works for the prevention and treatment of abuse, neglect, and exploitation of children, women, and their families in the Philippines and in Hawai’i. Our foundation is named after our Founder, the late Consuelo Zobel Alger, whose generosity and genuine love for children allowed us to renew hope for those who have lost it and give hope to those who never had it.

 For over 30 years, Consuelo Foundation has been taking action for our children and their families—uplifting one child, one family, one community, at a time.

 Consuelo Foundation’s Life Skills Plus program empowers children and youth through education and skills training so they, too, can lead, dream, and reach their full potential—and make a difference in our world. This program provides the learners with relevant learning materials to ensure sustained access to quality education. Children and youth are assisted with essential interventions to further build their knowledge, skills, and competencies to be empowered individuals. 

 For inquiries and info about Consuelo Foundation and this project, you may email: ask@consuelo.org or visit their social media accounts at Facebook and Instagram.