Review

The Tondo area in Manila, Philippines, is a place with few opportunities for cultural arts education due to poverty and poor living conditions. Many children go through mountains of trash from an early age to help make a living, and live a life where ‘what they have to do’ takes priority over ‘what they want to do’. The reality is that it is difficult to even dream of cultural education such as music, art, and physical education, and it is difficult to have the opportunity to discover one's own talents.

Despite this environment, children are finally learning music and developing their own dreams at the Tondo WECA music class run by the World Educational Cultural Aid. Recently, due to the music teacher's illness and a series of typhoons, the academic schedule was pushed back and classes were interrupted, but we are currently continuing to practice steadily with the existing first group of members. The children are working hard to prepare a couple of songs to perform on a small stage scheduled for the Christmas season, and are regaining a sense of accomplishment through music.

Children who participate in the class express their changed feelings by saying, “When I sing, all difficult thoughts disappear,” and “I feel like I have something I can be good at while learning music for the first time.” Music is not just a hobby for them, but a very valuable window through which they can connect with the world and express themselves.

Chairman Bang Jeong-hwan said, "Culture and arts education is the warmest force that awakens children's potential. When I see children regaining smiles through music even in difficult environments, I realize again why we cannot give up on education. The love sent by sponsors is the driving force that connects the dreams of Tondo children."

The World Educational Cultural Aid will continue to support programs to help children in the Tondo region, who lack educational opportunities, gain confidence through music and dream bigger.

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Giving music education as a gift to Filipino children