U.P. TASK FORCE STREETCHILDREN
THE COMMITTEES
U.P. TFS ALUMNI SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM
U.P. TASK FORCE STREETCHILDREN The sight of children whose sun scorched and dirt caked bodies litter the streets of the U.P. Diliman Campus have become very common that Dr. Paquita Cruz looked for a way to address this problem. She envisioned a task force that would provide the necessary services to help get these children off the streets and onto better lives. JPIA, SANDIGAN, UNANG HAKBANG, UPSCA, SORORES CALAMI and PHAETA EPSILON responded to her call, and after a meeting attended by these organizations, U.P. TASK FORCE STREETCHILDREN or U.P. TFS was formed. The streetchildren of Old Balara and Pook Dagohoy were the first to benefit from U.P. TFS. It was 1991 when U.P. TFS provided these children with support programs in values, education, and skills as envisioned by its parent organizations. Later on, another support program was added, that of health and nutrition. In 1992, U.P. TFS became an independent organization. This time it was the thirty-odd children from the depressed areas along NIA Road (Barangay Pinayahan) who were taken in by the organization. As the previous year, these children were also given support programs that U.P. TFS believes will help them build a better life. As more students became interested to join the organization, U.P. TFS was able to expand and include the streetchildren from the community of Barangay Libis behind the walls of Loyola Heights Subdivision. The streetchildren every Saturday reaches as many as 60. With the number of children wanting to be part of the U.P. TFS Program rising, the organization saw the need to brace itself with other streetchildren-oriented groups, namely UNICEF, Corpus Christi, Pangarap Shelter, Laura Vicuna Foundation, Silong Tanglaw and the Local Council for the Protection of Streetchildren of Las Piñas. U.P. TFS has also opportunely earned the support and recognition of various U.P. Student Organizations such as JPIA, Statsoc, U.P. Chess Club, Phil Delta Alpha, ChemSoc, EdSoc, U.P. Kathalad, among others. Furthermore, U.P. TFS has corresponded with the SLUM CLUB of Chulalongkorn University of Thailand through exchanging information and ideas (via mail and e-mail) on how to develop the different programs to better address the needs of the streetchildren. In 1997, three officers of the Slum Club went to the Philippines to personally meet the members of U.P. TFS Through the years, U.P. continues to evolve with some changes and additions to the programs, but all with the aim of satisfying the specific needs of the streetchildren. Back to Top
THE COMMITTEES SKILLS COMMITTEE - aims to introduce alternative livelihoods that will direct the streetchildren to a better means of living through basic skills. Furthermore, it aims to instill the necessary values that will aid them in all endeavors concerned with their work. VALUES COMMITTEE - aims to assist the streetchildren in their efforts to become a productive individual of society, mainly by teaching them the meaning and importance of behavioral attitudes and beliefs through different games and storytelling and counseling. Through this, the streetchildren learn to cope with the society in which they live in. HEALTH AND NUTRITION - aims to instill in the streetchildren basic hygiene and care, with the hope to give them a healthier and safer life. Through seminars, first aid clinics, medical and dental missions, the streetchildren learn good habits of healthy living. Doctors, Dentists and Nutritionists were invited, in coordination with other U.P. organizations, to examine the health condition of the streetchildren. The committee is in-charge of providing food for the streetchildren every Saturday as well. EDUCATION COMMITTEE - Functional Literacy for streetchildren who have completely stopped their schooling is the very aim of this committee. The programs of Education Committee serves as a practical tool in the children's daily means by teaching them basic education deemed relevant to their experiences. For streetchildren who are still in school, the Education program provides support in the form of tutorials to supplement what they learn in the classroom. The Tutoring sessions are followed by an assessment of the performance of each kid. A module specifically designed to address educational needs of the streetchildren is underway. FOR MORE INFORMATION REGARDING U.P. TASK FORCE STREETCHILDREN PLEASE WRITE TO: up-tfs@yahoogroups.com Attn: Joan Back to Top
U.P. TASK FORCE STREETCHILDREN ALUMNI SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM Indeed once a TFS, you're forever a TFS. Somehow the streetchildren made a great difference in the life of a TFS Member marking in each member's heart and mind never to FORGET to HELP. Together with the so many things that one has to let go after graduation, being part of U.P. TFS is the most difficult to give up. Most of the members still wish to be part of this organization. It seems that life can never be the same without it. So in 1999, headed by former U.P. TFS officers of different batches (Magi Vasquez, Jhan Quedilla, Voltaire Sibal, Sofia de Guzman, Lei Gallardo, and Paolo Salcedo) the U.P. TFS Alumni Scholarship Program was formed. The program is to select deserving streetchildren who show interest in pursuing their primary or secondary studies and to completely fund their education. TFS all the more became one big happy family with the undergrads as ates and kuyas and the alumni as nanay and tatay of the kids. This new program began with two streetchildren who are both in secondary level: Julie Gomez and Eunero dela Cruz. These two teenagers were handled by TFS since they were in gradeschool. At present the scholars are now in their junior high. FOR MORE INFORMATION REGARDING U.P. TASK FORCE STREETCHILDREN ALUMNI SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM PLEASE CONTACT: Ms. Sofia De Guzman sofdg@yahoo.com Back to Top
