Better roads for Tisa

A team of youth leaders from the Young Minds Academy (YMA) has partnered with a local people’s organization, the Kadasig Parents Association Inc. (Kapai) for a road improvement project in barangay Tisa, Cebu City.

The project was initiated by Kathleen Guasin, Erika Laurente, Alyanna Mendoza, Johngae Punay and Catherine Sullano as part of their outputs in the YMA Season 5 program that they attended last year.

After going through a series of project mentoring sessions in YMA and a proposal defense, the team got RAFI’s approval to fund their project.

The team worked with Kapai in placing the footpaths on the road going to Kapai Phase I in the mountainous area of Tisa, where Kapai members reside.

As of June 10, around 200 footpaths made from the mixture of garbage and cement measuring 30 meters long were placed.

“The project is a big help because rocks that may cause children to stumble while play were now replaced with footpaths. Also, motorcycles can already pass by our place,” JR Daclan, a resident of the barangay, said in Cebuano.

Early this year, the YMA team also helped the group organize a clean-up drive in the area.

“Our surroundings are now clean, unlike before,” Connie Abella, a resident and a KAPAI officer, said in Cebuano.

Kapai plans to make footpath production as their livelihood project to augment their income.

The YMA team will help the group find buyers for the product.

YMA is sponsored by UnionBank of the Philippines and is one of the programs of Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc.–Eduardo Aboitiz Development Studies Center (RAFI-EADSC) that aims to help the youth become responsible, accountable leaders and proactive citizens.

For more information about YMA, contact Mel Yan at 418-7234 local 110 or visit www.rafi.org.ph or www.facebook.com/rafi.org.ph.