USAID Grant Helps Exploited Children
Children Find Joy Through Theater Festival in the Philippines
Apr 20, 2009
In the Philippines, between 60,000 and 100,000 children are trafficked annually, both internally and across the border. See the 2006 "Global Monitoring Report on the Status of Action Against Commercial Exploitation of Children: Philippines"; published by End Child Prostitution, Child Pornography and Trafficking of Children for Sexual Purposes (ECPAT).
The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) awarded ECPAT, in the Philippines, a $78,000 grant in 2004 to end sexual exploitation of children. The project, entitled “Continuing Community Empowerment Against Sexual Exploitation of Children”, culminated in a Children and Theater Festival against Child Trafficking in December of 2007.
The festival was held parallel to the International Day against Child Trafficking. “More than 1000 children benefited by way of joining the two-day festivities through forums and discussions, creative and art workshops, Filipino games and the actual watching of the 10 major theater productions produced by the children themselves,” stated Dolores Alforte, Executive Director of ECPAT Philippines, in a personal communication dated March 31, 2009. In addition, theater groups were formed with around 200 children. Each child was trained in theater skills, production and scriptwriting.
ECPAT’s 2008 bi-annual newsletter takes note of the benefits that the children received from their involvement in the festivities. One such child, Jessel, stated to interviewer Rosy May Bayuga that all the children were very happy with their performances and brought to tears. She is looking forward to another festival in the future.
“Their meaningful involvement does not end on stage however; beyond the spotlight is perhaps the renewed belief of themselves as participatory agents of change to an evolving society where they rightfully belong,” states ECPAT in the newsletter. According to Ms. Alforte, the Festival was also supported by the ANESVAD Foundation in Spain, the Philippine Educational Theater Association (PETA) by training and mentoring the children, and the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde who provided the venue and teachers for the event.
ECPAT hopes to apply for another grant this year, as they recently underwent an organizational review, according to Ms. Alforte.
Ending Exploitation with Help from the World Congress
There are many Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), like ECPAT, working throughout the Philippines and the world trying to decrease the number of children exploited. The problem has become even more difficult with the development of the internet and the increase in sex tourism, especially in Asia. International conferences, like the World Congress III against Sexual Exploitation of Children and Adolescents, are trying to help governments deal with this issue. The Congress, which was held in Rio de Janeiro this past November, was attended by 3500 participants from 170 countries and 55 government bodies. The participants concluded with a presentation of a 16-page "Declaration and Call for Action to Prevent and Stop Sexual Exploitation of Children and Adolescents".
The numbers are continuing to grow. The more NGOs and government bodies that get involved in the crisis of child exploitation, the quicker the problem will diminish.
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