Japan grants P1.19-M aid for Jap-Fil kids

MANILA, Philippines - The Japanese government has extended a P1.19-million grant to a Philippine foundation to strengthen the organization of Japanese-Filipino children. Japanese Ambassador to the Philippines Makoto Katsura and Batis Center for Women executive director Andrea Castor Anolin signed the contract for the grant at the Japanese embassy. The fund would be drawn from the Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security Project as part of Japan’s official development assistance to support self-help initiatives of the Project for Strengthening the Organization of Japan-Filipino Children and Youth, according to a statement from the Japanese embassy. Batis Center for Women provides support for the development of the Psycho-social capacity of Japanese-Filipino Children (JFC). As part of its Children Youth Development Program (CYDP), it has initiated organizational development and training for the children with Japanese and Filipino parents. In 2000, it organized Batis-YOGHI (Youth Organization Gives Hope and Inspiration), an organization of children and youth beneficiaries of Batis Center for Women, to work for the welfare and promotion of the plight of JFCs. "To ensure smooth turnover and develop the full leadership potential of officers and to enable the JFCs to effectively manage the activities of Batis- YOGHI, there should be continuous training and development of its members," the embassy statement said. With the grant, 100 JFC members will benefit from training programs for organizational development and management, peer counseling, leadership and educational sessions so that to enhance their capacity as service providers to other JFCs during times of their lives where they encounter problems and challenges that may be too difficult for them to face on their own. Training modules will be developed and will eventually be used for Re-echo purposes with other potential JFCs. Information materials will be designed and disseminated for public awareness about the emergence of a Batis- YOGHI, as an organization run by the JFC that can provide assistance to other JFCs. – GMANews.TV