SEALNet’s Project Philippines gets featured in the Sun Star Cebu and PhilStar.com. More information on Project Philippines can be found on the SEALNet website.

The SEALNet formula:

1. Identify a significant issue in a Southeast Asian community

The story begins with these slimy critters you see on the left, which were introduced to the SEALNet team by Dr Vincente Belizario from the National Institute of Health. In the city Cebu, at least 50% of the student population has an above-average worm infestation problem. For this project, the SEALNet team decided to focus on the worst case of worm infestation, which is found in the Alaska community, where 9 of 10 students are afflicted with above-average worm infestation condition. To get a project started, all it takes is for 2 college students to step up as SEALNet co-leaders and propose a draft project plan. A SEALNet project typically lasts for 2 weeks.

2. Working with the right partners and supporters

A SEALNet project would be dead on arrival without working with the right partners and supporters. There are several facets to partnership for a SEALNet project. In the Philippines, this is how things panned out:

• Project execution - City of Cebu Mayor’s office for medical supplies, logistical and security support. University of Cebu for logistics support.
• Content - National Institute of Health for medical knowledge.
• High School contact - University of Philippines high school
• Safety - International SOS for medical services and AIG for group insurance. Both organizations donated their services to the 5 SEALNet projects this year.
• Project Sponsors - ASEAN, Schneider

3. Form a highly diverse team of passionate college students

SEALNet puts together a leadership retreat for the co-leaders of all SEALNet projects (there are 5 this year) 5 months before the summer projects. After the retreat, the co-leaders refine their project plan and begin their recruiting campaign for team members. This is done through an online application process. Historically, each project is typically oversubscribed by 300%, with 1 out of 4 applicants ultimately selected to join a project.

In the Philippines this year, 15 college students from 9 different countries converged in Cebu to participate in a city-wide campaign to wage a “War on Worms”. About 25% of the SEALNet team are either local or speak the local language.

4. Identify local change agents to cultivate

SEALNet teams work with local high school students to cultivate them as local change agents. In the Philippines, we were fortunate enough to receive tremendous support from Prof. Balthazar, the principal of the University of Philippines High School. High school students apply online to be involved in the SEALNet project. Their selection is based on how they respond to questions like “what do you see as pressing issues in your community?” and “how would you go about solving these issues?”. Over the 2 week project duration, the SEALNet team goes through a series of leadership workshops with the high school students, while collaborating on a joint program for the community issue that was highlighted as the project’s theme. For project philippines, the combined team put together a “Worm Day” program that will be provide greater sanitation awareness to the Alaska elementary school students, as well as deworming the 2000 students at the school.

5. Executing the program

SEALNet and the UP high school students then execute the Worm Day program that they’ve been sweating over for the past few days. The Cebu City mayor, Mr Tomas Osmena, is invited to officiate the opening, and local media is present to cover the event. The team goes through the half day program for Worm Day, it is both tiring but fun, with the group having to improvise on the spot to control the 2000-strong student crowd!

The lessons learnt at the end of the day will go towards subsequent Worm Day events, as the UP high school team prepares to continue this War and Worms with the rest of the 100,000 elementary school students in Cebu.

6. What’s next?

This SEALNet project has set the UP high school students on a path to continue the War on Worms for the rest of the high school population in Cebu. Aside from the issue with worms, there are other issues in the community that can serve as opportunities for future collaboration in Cebu.

Part of the SEALNet experience is to encourage its members to become co-leaders for next year’s projects. These projects could be continuations of current year work, or could branch into new areas. The whole spirit behind building the SEALNet community is to continually engage its members in service and leadership.

Picture Credits: photos were indiscriminately stolen from Kenneth Tan’s facebook profile.