For many rural communities, a school can be hours away, and the cost of staying in one can be even harder to meet. But education doesn’t stop at the classroom door, and neither does Aral Pinoy.
Whether it’s a free online tutoring session, a donated book, or a media noche package for a Dumagat family at Christmas, the organization treats learning as something that needs support from many sides.
Aral Pinoy is a non-stock, non-profit, and non-partisan organization that provides practical education to marginalized indigenous communities and the rural poor. It was founded in 2010 by Dr. Antonio Ingles Jr., who is also a full-time professor at De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde.
Its programs are as varied as the needs it tries to meet. Every Christmas, its “Adopt a Family” drive collects donations so Dumagat families can have a holiday meal. During the rest of the year, it runs computer literacy projects, free online tutoring, sports workshops, and book drives, along with a “Youth Teaching Kids” seminar where young volunteers get to teach children, among many other initiatives.
Some of its work targets what keeps students out of school in the first place. One project aimed to keep 34 high school and 16 college students from low-income families from Batangas in class by covering free meals and transportation allowance for six months. Its recent Project Baon asks the public to help students stay in school through high school and, hopefully, finish college.
The organization has also adapted as needs changed. In September 2020, with the pandemic disrupting classes, Ingles set up a partnership with ZilLearn to help ease its effects on education by offering free online courses.
Another project, Aral Pinoy eSkwela Center, is part of the Department of Education’s free Alternative Learning System, which serves out-of-school youth and adults unable to attend regular classes. Through interactive e-learning modules, the center provides computer-based education in partnership with the department’s Bureau of Alternative Education.
To support Aral Pinoy, visit its Facebook page to find ongoing donation drives, calls for volunteers, and learn how to contribute. Its Christmas drive for Dumagat families is currently accepting donations, with details provided in their posts.
Whether by donating, giving some of your time, or sharing your knowledge, every contribution can help make learning more accessible. Take the first step today and help create more opportunities for learners who need them most.
