July 1, 2015
Philippines
At the end of June, Caritas Czech Republic workers Helena Kotková and Ondřej Suchánek visited the primary school Burgos Integrated School, situated on the island of Samar. Samar was badly affected by Typhoon Yolanda (internationally known as Hayian) in November 2013.
With more than 40 children aged from 9 to 12, our colleagues discussed the topics of school and education systems both in the Czech Republic and Philippines. Children were asked questions such as what do they imagine when somebody says school and education in the Czech Republic, how does it work in their school in Philippines, what subjects do they have and what do they think an average school day in the Czech Republic is like?
Moreover, Helena and Ondřej explained the process of money collecting for humanitarian aid and how the collection after Typhoon Yolanda was organized in the Czech Republic. They mentioned some Czech schools which also contributed to the collection and they explained that a similar humanitarian collection was organized to equip a local school badly damaged by the typhoon.
During their visit, children also made large-format art creations showing their own perception of the school and their first-hand experience with the catastrophe. At the end of the programme, pupils were given some small gifts, consisting mainly of art supplies brought from the Czech Republic, such as wax crayons, scissors, pencils, sharpeners, white and colour papers. All of these can be freely used by the whole primary school.
Ondřej Suchánek brought the artwork of Filipino children to the Czech Republic and they will soon be exposed to Czech schools within the educational programme HUMR.
