#OperationMerienda
Operation Merienda is a movement that spreads love around the globe through food and literacy. Since 2020, we've fed over a thousand essential workers while improving literacy through youth programming efforts in Mindanao, Philippines.
"Operation Merienda" or “Operation Food” was designed as a way to occupy the narrative of warspeak by utilizing food as a central tool to promote economic opportunities for women, while serving food to essential workers. The mission of this project has integrated food provisions with a global civics curriculum to inspire creativity and promote literacy to young learners. It is through my partnerships with college students and educators that we were able to deliver a unique experience that teaches kids about human rights.
LAMBANGAN INTEGRATED SCHOOL: A COLLABORATION WITH SUMMER HOME READING ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (SHARP)
On August 15, 2022, Operation Merienda supported literacy programming and launched its first Summer Reading Festival in Lambangan Integrated School. In collaboration with educators, community leaders, and parents of the T’boli in Lambangan Integrated School, Operation Merienda’s Edukasyong Pangkomunidad hosted a culminating event for students whose reading levels have suffered from the impact of remote learning during COVID-19. In response, a school reading program was mandated by the Philippine government that is locally referred to as the Summer Home Assistance Reading Program (SHARP), formerly known as Project MASA (“Mambasa Ako, Susubok Ako” -- MASA meaning the masses/”I will Read, I will Try”). This 15-day summer reading program was originally limited to 50 students for its first in-person reading immersion program after pandemic quarantine measures were lifted. To counter these fiscal constraints, Operation Merienda Edukasyon and local educators collaborated to expand SHARP’s reach to a wider net of struggling readers. Through Filipino Bayanihan cultural attitudes, we all voluntarily donated our time, money, and skill to engage more students fruitfully. Operation Merienda expanded SHARP to serve over a 100 students in tandem with resource and curricular provisions from “Operation Merienda’s Global Civics for All” program to teach literacy to students through action learning and art history.
#OPERATIONMERIENDAEDUKASYON
NATIONAL CHILD DEVELOPMENT CENTER: EDUKASYONG PANGKOMUNIDAD
On June 2, 2022, Operation Merienda held its first academic programming in teaching global civic mindsets to the future generation of leaders. This was informally in celebration of our young learners coming back to school and engaging in face-to-face courses since COVID-19 restrictions were eased. For our pilot program, I designed a JoyOp to welcome students back into in-person learning. We selected young learners between the ages of 1-7 to teach them the value of creative engagement and play. It is through play and creative activities that we are able to hone a sense of belonging and love with the youngest members of our global community. In collaboration with educators in the National Child Development Center in Sto. Nino, South Cotabato (NCDC), we developed a lesson plan that taught children the values of civics and freedom as the world becomes more interconnected. Cultivating in students a sense of global civic-mindedness through creative pursuits and community building activities are the seeds that bloom into an abundance of innovative spirit in young minds. Innovative capacities will be of great value in the future of work and learning in the latter half of the 21st century.