Soroptimist International Founder Manila conferred certificates of completion on the Club’s program of Free Computer Education to the women and girls from their Adopted Barangay, Barangay 877, Zone 96, District 6, Sta. Ana, Manila.. The program was made possible by a grant from the Soroptimist International of the Americas under its Mission/Vision of “Improving the Lives of Women and Girls in our Communities and through out the World.”, and with the Mega Group of Computer Companies as a major sponsor.  This is the second batch graduated under the program. Shown in the photo are the students, instructors and officers of  SI Founder Manila. The club is headed by Minda Garcia (seated 2nd row, sixth from the left).

The FREE COMPUTER EDUCATION PROGRAM

1.  How did the idea for the computer program come about?

In one of its mid-year strategic deliberations in 2005, the SI Founder Manila decided to shift its focus on programs that are more related to human resource development. The members unanimously agreed  to  undertake  projects that  will  develop more the  mental faculties  of  women  and  girls.   In particular, the capability - building project which the Club had in mind was one that would complement their secondary education which, in the Philippines, is given free by the government through public high - schools. The Club, in other words, was looking for an educational   program with an impact!  One that would have a more lasting effect on the beneficiary.  A program that would render the women and girls more competitive in business and/or employment after graduation. 

One of the proposals was to extend scholarship to any short non-degree college course. Since there is a growing demand for computer literacy and the logistical requirements are comparatively low, the Club decided to take off with its scholarship program initially in the field of information technology. Other reasons that clinched the idea of computer education were the following :

• The Club happened to have a President who hasa mega-computer business and was willing to lend her facilities and staff to serve as instructors.

• There was a great interest shown by no less than the Soroptimists themselves, in and outside the SIFM, to become computer literate.

• SOROPTIMIST has Club grants for Women and Girls.

2.  How have you seen it change the lives of women and girls?

By this time, the Club has graduated two classes with a total of Sixty (62) students broken down as follows :

   Students from the Adopted Community                                   52
   Soroptimists                                                                      10

   Total                                                                                62  

The youngest in the class from the Adopted Barangay (community) is 12 years old and the oldest 30.  The cross section of students showed a predominance of high school students, school drop- outs and unemployed females.  The Soroptimists are mostly retired and in their early senior ages. 

The students came from a depressed area in Sta. Ana, a district of Manila.

The changes in the students , during and after their schooling , have been observed in  the BEHAVIORAL , ATTITUDINAL,  SOCIAL , AND SKILLS LEVEL.The transformations were ---from a rather timid, shy and somehow intimidated demeanors to a self-confident , interacting and open behaviors. From zero literacy to a powerpoint and excel e-mail proficiency . From a skeptical, self-effacing individual to a hopeful, expressive person.

One of the requirements of the program is to report to SIFM any change in their economic status as a result of their computer education. To date, the Club has been informed of the following :

From the first batch, Genevieve C. Carandang is a 37 year old housewife a is applying the use of the skills (Microsoft Excel) she learned  in the small food store she tends.  Three of the  graduates are now employed by the encoding company of Mega Computer Company.  Some are in the poll list of job openings of the company and its affiliates.  Elvie C. Duran, who is a janitress has applied for a filing/clerk position, hoping to climb the ladder to a higher position where she can use her IT skills.  The rest, have place in applications for clerical, filing, encoding jobs with the Computer Education training as their qualification.  Yolanda C. Hernandez, a past president of SIFM, a writer and author by profession, (who sat in) while monitoring classes, uses now Microsoft Word for her writings.  Five (5) Soroptimist now has their own email addresses.

3. Why do you think the Soroptimist Club Grants for Women and Girls Important?

            The grant has a great ECONOMIC VALUE .

            The grant is a POWER INCENTIVE.

            The grant has an EQUALIZING PROPERTY.

            The grant has a long MILEAGE EFFECT.

                                                By :   MINDA A. GARCIA
                                                           President, SI FOUNDER MANILA

Hands on training of twenty-eight (28) students from barangay 877 & 878 Zone 96 of Sta. Ana Manila

Instructor Gilbert Bugarin explaining basic hardware essentials

The computer literacy program of SIFM rolled off on August 6, 2005 with an encouraging attendance of 28 students from the community and neighboring communities.  The average age profile of the students is all out of school and belonging to the low income group.  This group consists of the first batch of the envisioned batches approved in the grant.