ABK3 LEAP Good Practice Event: 5 Years of Success

With a holistic approach in solving child labor in the sugar industry, ABK3 LEAP ends its four year run on a high note as its program helped decrease child labor to 14%.

Born from a Cooperative Agreement between the US Department of Labor (USDOL) and World Vision Development Foundation (WVDF), the ABK3 Livelihoods, Education, Advocacy and Protection to Reduce Child labor in Sugarcane Areas (ABK3 LEAP) project was implemented in the Philippines in September 2011 to lessen child labor as there were 5.5 million out of 29 million aged 5-17 year-old children who are exposed to the harsh conditions of sugarcane farming.

“Education alone does not solve child labor. Livelihood alone does not reduce child labor,” Operations Manager of ABK3 LEAP Jason Befus answered when asked about the holistic approach ABK3 LEAP used to address the issue of child labor in the Philippines. The best way was to lessen the issue was to change and build communities.

The project had succeeded its goal through education interventions for the 54,000 child-laborers by providing a safe and healthy learning experience; livelihood interventions for 28, 090 households in order to diversify their income; and community building through strengthening the capacity of existing local and national institutions.

When asked what the future will be once the ABK3 LEAP project is over. “They will continue on,” Befus said, confident that the education and awareness they established will be held by the ABK3 LEAP beneficiaries.