DSWD Program Inspires Bajau Youth to Stay in School

The Department of Social Welfare and Development’s (DSWD) program for Sama-Bajau inspired the youth to stay in school instead of begging on the streets.

One of them is a 16-year old girl who is on her way to fulfilling her ambition to be a businesswoman. Her name is Ustia Daomani, eldest of five in the Sama-Bajau community of 910 families in Alaska, Mambaling, this city. She is among those who were given educational assistance of DSWD and the local social welfare  under the Comprehensive Program for Sama Bajaus. Daomani is in junior high of Gothong National High School taking up the Accountancy and Business Management Strand. “I want to be a businesswoman,” she said.

From Sitio Side A in Alaska, Mambaling, Daomani  commutes daily in a  trisikad, a vehicle with three wheels moved by foot pedals, to go to school.

Just recently she and 14 other Sama-Bajau youths joined a leadership training conducted by DSWD.

“The training gave us skills on how to lead a group and facilitate activities, which we will be doing as youth leaders in our community,” Daomani said.

What she liked about the training was that it was done through workshops and games followed by sharing of insights. “Our knowledge on things related to being youth leaders have been enhanced because of another training called Empowering Learning Sessions for Indigenous People’s Initiatives or ELIPI carried out by DSWD,” she said.

ELIPI consists of six modules or sessions; Indigenous Knowledge, System and Practices, Attitude and Capacities, Needs as Human Beings, Role Modelling, Traditional System of Organization and Rights Based Approach to Empowerment.

She said she will be discussing the module on the rights of children.

“Pipila sa mga katungod mao ang katungod nga maka-eskwela, mahatagan og pangalan, magpuyo sa limpiyo nga dapit (Some of these rights are the right to be educated, right to have a name, and right to live in a clean environment),” Daomani said.

She is speaking in front of the community tomorrow during the rollout of ELIPI in the Alaska, Mambaling Communiy. “As a member of the Bajau Youth Council, it is my duty to involve them in our activities.  I realized this when I joined the leadership and ELIPI trainings.  I want to help the Sama-Bajau youths particularly in the aspect of education.  It would be a challenging one, but I see the need to do it,” Daomani said.

According to Ustia, her group surveyed the entire Sama-Bajau community in Alaska, Mambaling and found out that there are 145 youths in their area.  More than half of the number or 81 of them are out-of-school youths (OSY). “That is why we have to motivate the Sama-Bajau OSYs to go back to school.  I always believe that education is crucial in overcoming poverty among our people,” she said.

Education is one area that the Sama-Bajaus need. Most school children in Daomani’s  community do not attend school despite the fact that the public schools are free to attend.

For her, education is a strong weapon against poverty. This conviction guides her towards achieving her goal. Ustia wants to share this belief with her fellow Sama-Bajaus so that together they will work for their community’s development.

The Sama-Bajaus are traditionally from the many islands of the Sulu Archipelago in the Philippines, as well as parts of the coastal areas of Mindanao.  Most of them have become beggars in the streets. (rmn/fcc/PIA7-Cebu/with reports from DSWD Regional Information Office)