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Nurturing the young leaders of Mindanao

April 15, 2007

ELSA trains 90 youth in the 2nd and 3rd Leadership Camp Series

Youth leaders from different areas of ARMM participated in the 2nd and 3rd ELSA Young Leaders Camp in St. Joseph Retreat House, Datu Odin Sinsuat, Shariff Kabunsuan on the 3rd and 4th week of April 2007.

The ELSA Young Leaders' Camp (EYLC) is a fun-filled, activity-driven program aimed to develop the leadership potential of the youth of Mindanao.

It is a 4-day camp with leadership forums, self-discovery and insights sharing, and fun outdoor activities designed to be a nurturing ground for young leaders.

This year's leadership camp series has added innovations. "We have added a session on "Nurturing young leaders" for the teachers, principals, and mentors," said Marie Sol Delantar, Youth Leadership Development Manager. "We want them to be guided also on how to further develop the potentials and monitor the growth of the young leaders after the camp."

The 2nd EYLC was held last April 18 to 22, with 46 participants from 9 schools coming from the provinces of Maguindanao and Shariff Kabunsuan. The 3rd EYLC was held the following week, from April 26 to 29, and participated by 44 campers from 8 schools in Lanao del Sur and Marawi City. A total of 12 out of school youth also participated in these 2 camps.

"I had so much fun. I was able to experience a lot in this camp. I learned how to be a leader even though we are still young," said Suharto Asi, camp participant. "I'm also thankful to my co-campers for sharing wonderful ideas."

"In this camp, I met a lot of people and I was able to share my life story with them," said Aswad Alim, another camp participant. "In being a leader, I learned that we should trust other people, and be true to ourselves. We should think about the people we are serving before ourselves."

Post-camp activities for the young leaders include learning sessions on the internet, interfaith dialogues, project management trainings, and civic engagement programs to equip them with knowledge and skills so that they can lead in their respective schools and give back to their communities.

ELSA, through Ayala Foundation's In-School Youth Engagement Program, implements the EYLC and other leadership activities to empower the young leaders of Mindanao. The 4th ELSA Young Leaders Camp is set for May 31 to June 3.