Baltimore, Maryland: The International Youth Foundation (IYF), in cooperation with an alliance of Filipino NGOs, foundations, and private corporations, has been awarded US$4.2 million by the US Agency for International Development/Philippines to assist the Department of Education and the government of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) in their efforts to improve education quality and enhance the life and employability skills of Filipino youth.

The program – Education and Livelihood Skills Alliance (ELSA) – is a three-year initiative to benefit young people who live in the southern island of Mindanao, including the ARMM. ELSA builds on IYF’s nearly 15 years experience working on development challenges related to children and youth in the Philippines, in close partnership with key local organizations. In addition to addressing the educational and job training needs of out-of-school youth, ELSA partners will provide teacher training, improve school infrastructure, enhance opportunities for employment and entrepreneurship, and assist Philippine national and ARMM government officials in implementing education policy reform.

“There is a need to present a range of opportunities to help young people in Mindanao develop the skills needed to become more active participants in a productive economy,” said Michael Yates, USAID-Philippines Mission Director. “This program will support local initiatives and build on the considerable local expertise and experience we are so fortunate to have in the Philippines.”

The alliance created through the ELSA program includes the following partners:

• Ayala Foundation, a non-profit that promotes corporate social responsibility (CSR) and contributes to nation-building by providing Filipinos with the skills and tools needed to compete in the global market.
• Consuelo Foundation, a non-profit that manages programs focusing on youth, family and community, with a focus on disadvantaged, abused, exploited, and out-of-school youth.
• Petron Foundation, a national, private development foundation involved in poverty alleviation throughout the Philippines.
• Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP), a corporate-led, national private foundation dedicated to promoting business sector commitment to social development by generating jobs, building social and physical infrastructure, and providing management training to underserved Filipinos.
• South East Asian Ministers of Education Organization Regional Center for Educational Innovation and Technology (SEAMEO INNOTECH), which develops technology-based solutions to education challenges through training, research and evaluation, and information communication technologies (ICT).

These key partners, with the support of IYF and through collaboration with Mindanao-based organizations, will develop and implement sustainable partnerships to increase access to quality education and livelihood skills. These programs will result in the increase of community-based learning opportunities, reintegration of out-of-school youth, expansion of teacher capabilities in the areas of Math, Science, and English, and school reform within the Mindanao region.

”IYF recognizes that multi-stakeholder partnerships have a greater impact in bringing about long-term improvements in young people’s lives,” said David W. Hornbeck, President and CEO of IYF. “With ELSA, we have established a strong core Alliance that will continue to address the education and livelihood challenges that affect this region.”

The ELSA initiative also builds on IYF’s leadership over the past two years in collaborating with global, regional and local partners, including the Ayala Foundation and SEAMEO INNOTECH, to design and implement the successful Bridgeit program. Known as text2teach in the Philippines – an initiative of IYF, Nokia, United Nations Development Programme, Pearson, and the Philippines Department of Education – this program employs the use of new technologies to improve the quality of teaching in learning in the Philippines.

About the International Youth Foundation
The International Youth Foundation (IYF) is dedicated to supporting programs that improve the conditions and prospects for young people where they live, learn, work, and play. Since its founding in 1990, IYF has worked with hundreds of companies, foundations, and non-governmental organizations to scale up existing programs and build long-term strategic partnerships. Currently operating in more than 60 countries and territories, IYF and its partners have helped millions of young people gain the skills, training and opportunities critical to their success. More information on IYF can be found at www.iyfnet.org.

About USAID Philippines
USAID assists Philippine partners in five areas: economic reform and governance; conflict resolution in Mindanao and other areas vulnerable to violence; family planning, maternal and child health, HIV/AIDS and infectious diseases; environmental governance and energy; and access to quality education. USAID/Philippines also responds to humanitarian emergencies such as natural disasters. Over the past several years, USAID bilateral and other assistance to the Philippines has averaged $90 million per year. About 60 percent of the bilateral program is allocated to Mindanao.