05.11.2022

Mobile School On Train Tracks Helps Underprivileged Philippine Children Get An Education

Among the nearly 27 million children that call the Philippines their home, there's a large number that still don't have adequate access to education. Often times, where they live contributes to those difficulties, especially when far from urban centers. According to a 2019 situational analysis by UNICEF, an estimated 2.85 million children in the Philippines aged five to 15 are out of school. A group of volunteers is seeking to change that in the form of a 'traveling' school – a wooden trolley fitted with a whiteboard and other learning materials – that can be manually pushed down a train track, being able to pass through various villages. The noble initiative, which started in November 2021, collects the necessary learning materials from donations. As they pass by the different villages that straddle the train track, the volunteers teach math and reading to more than 60 children in need. The volunteers actually take a pretty novel approach. Much like a real train, the 'school on wheels' stops by each village. The trolley is then lifted off the track and placed right next to it. This is where the volunteers set up the whiteboard and other equipment, ready to welcome students. It is, after all, the safer thing to do, since the track is still actively used by trains, though not as frequently as one might expect. Most of these volunteers come from poor backgrounds. They've also experienced hardships in life, which is why they want to help children in need. Credit: REUTERS