MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur (PIA) -- Recognizing the potential and capacity of the youth, the World Vision tapped them to facilitate the Empowering Children as Peacebuilders (ECAP) Training of Trainers (ToT). 

World Vision consultant  Hermie Carillo said the organization has seen that most of the victims of a violent environment are children.   

“We look at the reality in the community. Nakita namin na mga bata ang [We have seen that children are the] victims  ng violent experiences. We reflect as an organization on how to build and empower the youth to be part  of breaking the cycle of violence,” she said. 

After conducting a pilot value-based peace education in 2017, the organization concluded that the youth themselves can be better facilitators to their fellow youth. A module was then developed and updated with the different experiences from the Lumad, Christian and Muslim communities. 

World Vision Project Manager for Marawi Initiatives Adonis Casinillo said those who completed the training are  given the opportunity to be the facilitators in the future. “Those who were trained before in previous batches are trainers now,” he said.  

The World Vision has just concluded another ToT for this year engaging students from  Dulay Proper Elementary School and Bae Inomba Blo Bacarat Central Elementary School and members of youth organizations in the City and Lanao del Sur province. (LELA/PIA-10/ICIC/Lanao del Sur)