We've Moved to: Manoamigaph.org!

Our official site is up! All stories and updates about Mano Amiga Philippines can now be found at www.manoamigaph.org. 

Visit our website to learn about how Mano Amiga has evolved from an affordable K-12 school for low-income families into a community development social enterprise providing: 

Education opportunities for children and youth, Sustainable livelihood for disadvantaged women, Teacher training for Public schools, Digital Literacy for the youth, Advocacy campaigns to influence public policy.

You can also follow us on instagram: @manoamigaph

Thank you for your continued help and support! We look forward to creating more inspiring stories with you. 

xoxo,  your Mano Amiga family

In the News: School opens bright future for the underprivileged

This article originally appeared on the Philippine Star last November 21, 2016

MANILA, Philippines – High quality private education should not be a privilege reserved for the chosen few.

This is the mantra of international, non-profit low-cost private school Mano Amiga Academy, which recently opened the doors of its new campus in Parañaque City.

Established in 2008, Mano Amiga has one primary objective: to provide students from low-income communities education at par with the best schools in the world.

 For the past seven years, the school operated in a 300-square meter property with only three classrooms in Taguig City.Pinugu recalls her frustration at having to turn away four out of five poor pre-school age children due to capacity limitations. “The small space hindered us from growing the impact and reach of our program,” she says.

Everything changed this academic year when the school, with the help of a grant from Metro Pacific Investments Corp., acquired a 2,500-sqm. property in Better Living, Parañaque City. Donations from other companies such as Western Union, Manta Equities, Qualfon Philippines, Unilab and LBC also helped the school to complete the first phase of the construction of its new classroom.

 From 95 students last year, Mano Amiga almost doubled its enrolment to 171 students from Kindergarten to Grade 7 this year.  Pinugu says they intend to further scale up to accommodate up to 800 students. 
“Our new campus allows us to accept more students and help more families, and also provides us with more equipped facilities to test educational innovations and to pilot other development programs,” Pinugu said.

Innovative approach

Even with the move to a new but farther location, Mano Amiga principal Revelyn Tria-Siasoyco said majority of their students still decided to stick it out “because they believe in the unique approach of the school.”

Mano Amiga implements a K-12 approach using an international curriculum, with a pedagogical method called integral formation – an personalized approach that develops a person’s intellect, character, critical thinking and leadership abilities, among others.

With the new campus, Siasoyco said they managed to strengthen co-curricular activities as they have more space for different activities.

“To develop life-long learners, students need to associate learning with both fun and hard work. We take pride in giving our students an exciting and enriching learning experience,” she said.

Since they no longer have to conduct classes in multiple shifts, Pinugu said they piloted a project-based learning approach that would teach students practical applications of what they learn in class.

“The idea is to come up with projects that help the community. The learners, they’re empowered,” she says.

For the full story, please click on the link below:

http://www.philstar.com/good-news/2016/11/21/1645666/school-opens-bright-future-underprivileged

Message from our Executive Director on Mano Amiga's 8th year Anniversary

There comes a time in every person's life when you start to question whether the path you had taken was the right one. For me, this happened in 2012 when we found out that we had to find a new location for Mano Amiga, or else we would have to close down the school for good. The community leaders we were working with suddenly decided that the school was too troublesome because of the noise level during mornings, and that the area we were occupying was better off as their homeowners association office. The news came as a heavy and humbling blow to my team. We increased student learning outcomes and access to sustainable livelihood in the area, and our school model was gaining a lot of international attention, but we could not seem to win the hearts of the people whose opinion mattered the most.

We considered taking the easy route and to just close down the school. We had already been operating for four years, and we were hopeful that we've already equipped our students with foundational skills that would allow them to thrive, whichever school they're in. What motivated us to try to continue were the pleas of the families we've been helping- their countless stories of how Mano Amiga has improved their quality of life, and their commitment to help us in whatever way they can. The best encouragement came from the students themselves who found every opportunity they could, to tell me and their teachers that they will join us wherever we transfer.

What followed were four challenging years of looking for a new area, raising a huge amount of money for the property and the building, and eventually constructing a new school despited limited financial resources. I have learned so much from this experience. The first was learning to accept one's defeats with grace, and to focus on what one could still accomplish instead of what one had lost. Perhaps the most important was learning how to trust despite the disappointments- trust in the generosity and kindness of people, trust in the fidelity of God, and trust in the wonderful surprises that any challenging situation could bring. 

Last September, we found ourselves celebrating Mano Amiga's 8th year anniversary, not anymore in a small makeshift building, but in a spacious campus that could accommodate over 800 students. And though many challenges still lie ahead, we look back with pride and gratitude for what we have overcome, and look forward to the future with continued zeal and enthusiasm.

Once again, we thank you for your constant trust and support.

Sincerely,

Lynn

Eleanor I. Pinugu

Executive Director

Mano Amiga Academy, inc.

Learning Through Exploration: The PBL Approach

Project-based learning is the immediate application of what they learned in the classroom in which they develop critical thinking, communication, and collaboration. The students work in groups to collectively solve challenging problems that are relevant in their immediate environment, community, and country. Through this 21st-century learning approach, the students help propose and solve problems that are all authentic, curriculum-based and interdisciplinary as it touches on several subject areas.

This year, Mano Amiga students will have two PBL projects per quarter where in they will get a chance to brainstorm solutions for different problems in their community, using knowledge and concepts they learned in the classroom.

STRONGER VOLUNTEER ACTIVITIES AND PROGRAMS THROUGH PBL

Through the PBL activities, various experts have selflessly volunteered their time to share their experience in their respective fields.  Last week, Lance, a segment producer of TV 5, taught Gr. 4 students about producing videos to give helpful tips to  students who are currently making webisodes about Science experiments, as part of their PBL project. 

Lance, Segment Producer of TV5 teaching students about production in one of the PBL classes

WE MADE IT! Mano Amiga's new campus finally opens

Mano Amiga Academy’s permanent campus in Paranaque City has finally opened its doors to 173 students from Kinder to the 7th Grade last August 30, 2016! Though the school is a work in progress, the students have been enjoying the larger classrooms and new facilities. 

Thank you for making this possible for the children and their families. Your impact has gone a long way!

Though classes have started, a lot work remains to be done. To reach more students by the next school year, we are still raising P35,000,000 to build a library, a technology-enabled classroom, chapel, sports complex, and cafeteria and livelihood center. 

There is still much to be accomplished & more children to help as we complete the new Mano Amiga campus. For updates or inquiries on how to donate for the construction, please get in touch with us nina.manoamiga@gmail.com.