Alay Lakad to send 500 OSY to school

CEBU - An additional 500 out-of-school youth could hope for a better future now that Alay Lakad Inc., known for its “Walk-For-A-Cause,” targets to sponsor more OSYs for short-term training courses designed to equip them of necessary skills they would need to find better jobs.

Alay Lakad aims to gather OSYs who are financially challenged and send them to schools to be trained and to have the necessary tools of their interest so they will be capable of having their own means of livelihood.

Alay Lakad has just recently refocused its objective by considering the sending of OSYs to short-term courses so they could reach more youth and help them get a job faster, rather than sending them to schools and universities for a formal education which is costly and takes some time to finish.

The refocusing provides Alay Lakad the possibility of sponsoring 500 scholars for the next batch. Currently, they are handling 65 scholars.

Over the years, Alay Lakad has already made more than a thousand former dreamers to graduate in the course they like, social worker Anecita Suico from the Department of Social Welfare and Services said.

Suico said most of them are employed right now and some exceptional scholars are “very successful in their endeavors.”

Alay Lakad provides free tuition and allowance to scholars chosen by the project committee. Materials required in the course are also provided and students are monitored to ensure focus in learning.

Alay Lakad’s main activity is a yearly mass walk for civic-minded citizens in every city and municipality nationwide.

The funds raised, like the donations from these civic-minded participants, are used to finance socio-economic projects such as skills trainings on various occupation, trades, income generating projects, community scouting, and leadership trainings for the needy out-of-school-youth.

Around 200,000 people are expected to join the Walk-for-a-Cause this year scheduled on September 21.

At present, Alay Lakad is chaired by civic group Lions Club with Lion Renato Aquino as chairman.

Aquino said they plan to collect donations “by establishment instead of by individual” to increase the amount that will be raised this year. — Jessica Ann Pareja/MEEV (THE FREEMAN)