The Need
In the farming communities of San Juan and Narvacan in Ilocos Sur, childhood shouldn’t have to compete with labor. Yet for many children in agricultural households, the line between growing up and going to work is dangerously thin — leaving little room for education, play, and the safe development every child deserves. Parents and community leaders, despite their best intentions, often lack the awareness and resources to shield their children from these risks. Without targeted intervention, child labor remains a quiet but persistent barrier to the futures these communities are capable of building.
The Intervention
ANNAKKO integrates child protection education, caregiver capacity building, and community-led advocacy. It engages children and youth through leadership camps, creative contests, sports activities, and protection workshops that give them space to grow and understand their own rights, equips parents and caregivers with knowledge to build safer homes through awareness forums, and trains teachers, youth leaders, and community leaders as cascaders to carry child protection education far beyond the project’s direct reach — with youth themselves stepping up to develop and lead their own child labor awareness proposals, turning beneficiaries into advocates.
Country:
Phillippines
SDGs
Key Priority Area/s:
Skills, Education & Entrepeneurship
Partners:
Trans-Manila Inc., Universal Leaf Philippines Inc., Rotaract Club of Magsingal North Ilocos Sur
5,193
total individuals reached
Goals Achieved:
1,568
Children and youth engaged in leadership camps, creative contests, sports activities, and protection workshops
Goals Achieved:
533
parents and caregivers engaged through awareness workshops and forums
Goals Achieved:
71
facilitators (teachers, youth leaders, and community leaders) trained to cascade child protection knowledge
Goals Achieved:
3,625
individuals indirectly reached through advocacy campaigns, cascading of learnings, and community events
Goals Achieved:
4,583
children engaged in off-farm or youth group activities (target: 2,500)
Goals Achieved:
6
youth groups engaged (target: 5)
Goals Achieved:
166
parents and community leaders trained through Training of Trainers programs
Goals Achieved:
5
youth-led child labor awareness proposals developed and funded
Goals Achieved:
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