Not all children in the Philippines are able to go to school. Childhope Philippines, a charity that aims to uphold and protect children’s rights, and its two-decade creative partners, BBDO Guerrero are bringing education to them. KalyEskwela or the School on the Streets initiative is a program that uses a mobile van equipped with audio-visual resources to deliver alternative educational sessions sanctioned by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).
BBDO Guerrero collaborated with Childhope’s instructors, musicians, and producers to introduce the Singing Lessons. The rhythm-infused rap songs serve as engaging educational tools, allowing out-of-school youths to retain their learnings more efficiently. Partnering with Hit Productions, BBDO Guerrero created tracks covering Basic English, Multiplication, and Gender Sensitivity, rolled out across various locations under the KalyEskwela program last year.
This year, with the help of songwriter, Migs Saludes, Childhope expanded its library of songs in the program. The first single called, Bayani (Heroes) delves into the introduction and history of the Philippines’ National Heroes. The second track, Karapatan (Rights), educates the children about their fundamental rights under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.
Migs Saludes commented, “I had a great time collaborating with BBDO Guerrero. Writing music with the purpose of education; it’s a refreshing experience. Coming from a place where I’ve seen how important knowledge and learning is, I think that Childhope is taking a huge step towards that.”
Mylene Lagman, resource mobilisation unit and communications manager at Childhope Philippines, added, “For these kids, the streets serve as their classroom, which is far from conducive to learning. But with Singing Lessons, we’re able to capture their attention, making the learning process enjoyable and effective.”
Caleb Casico, creative director at BBDO Guerrero, commented, “It’s always great to see work that makes a difference in the lives of people that need it the most. We’ve put in a lot of time and effort to make sure these kids get the education they deserve.”
BBDO Guerrero and Childhope are currently in the works of collaborating with more artists to develop an even more comprehensive curriculum for street education.
