Development Studies students’ service-learning project wins special mention at the Uniservitate Awards

Fu Jen Catholic University, Taiwan – 25 September 2024 — The service-learning initiative "Project Banyuhay” was recognized at the 2024 Uniservitate Awards. The project won a Special Mention for its two-day capacity-building workshop on digital storytelling. Project Banyuhay aims to help strengthen Indigenous youth's skills in crafting social media content to share their narratives by raising awareness about their culture, struggles, and victories, especially towards non-indigenous people, and solidifying the Indigenous youth network.

The project was led by Team Bukás na Búkas, a group of Development Studies students from Ateneo. They partnered with NTFP-EP Philippines and the UGNAYIN National Indigenous Youth Network, a key partner in the project, and worked under the guidance of Dr Mark Anthony D Abenir of the Development Studies Program and Ms Maria Flor V Soriano of the Office for Social Concern and Involvement (OSCI). The workshop provided Indigenous youth groups from Palawan, Sierra Madre, Bukidnon & Misamis Oriental, and Negros Occidental with the skills and knowledge to share awareness about their culture, struggles, and successes, to advocate for their rights, and to address community challenges through digital platforms.

Team Bukás na Búkas, a group of seven dedicated Development Studies students, namely Jake Rico M Bacani, Mariana Josefa P Hermoso, Anne Margaret J Hernandez, Mary Franz Benilde P Manlutac, Charisse Maxine O Parchamento, Felicia Isabel A Singson, and Ryan Gabriel B Suarez, initiated Project Banyuhay during their 3rd year in college as an academic requirement for their courses on DEV 106.1i: Community Development and Social Change, SocSc 13: The Economy, Society, and Sustainable Development, NSTP 12 (CWTS): Bigkis, and DEV 107: Project Management. Over two semesters, they conducted online and onsite community engagements to successfully plan and execute the workshop, equipping their partners with essential digital storytelling techniques. The University recognized their commitment with the Undergraduate Excellence Award for Group Project at the 2023 Ateneo Socio-Civic Engagement for National Development Awards.

You may view PROJECT BANYUHAY’s Digital Impact Story to learn more about the service-learning initiative.

Student representative Charisse Maxine Parchamento and course coach Dr Mark Anthony D Abenir accepted the award on behalf of the team. They also participated in Uniservitate's 3-day service-learning training, from September 23 to 25,, which included lectures, sharing of service-learning experiences, strategies, and best practices from different academic institutions, fieldwork activities, and regional meetings, further enriching their understanding of the challenges and opportunities in institutionalizing and implementing service-learning in universities.

They were also the representatives of Ateneo de Manila University as it was a new member of UNISERVITATE, a network focused on promoting service-learning in Catholic Higher Education Institutions (CHEIs).

Expanding the Impact: Project Banyuhay

The award also came with a prize of 1000 euros, which will be used to expand the team's reach through Project Banyuhay. In the last week of October, the team plans to continue their impactful work with an in-person community-led skills training on Publication Material Design, Organizational Branding, and Content Creation for the UGNAYIN. This expansion brings hope for the project's future and its ability to reach more indigenous youth.

The project seeks to strengthen the visibility of IP youth and effectively communicate values and advocacies to national and international audiences through high-quality publication materials and revitalization of their social media platforms. These resources and a strengthened digital outreach will facilitate information dissemination in promoting UGNAYIN PH's advocacies and articulate the concerns and successes of Filipino Indigenous youth, thus contributing to more informed and engaged IP and non-IP audiences.