For children growing up in communities where families struggle to make ends meet, access to education can mean more than learning to read and write. It can also mean having a safe place to learn, discovering new interests, and gaining opportunities to build a different future.
In Brgy. Lobogon, Del Carmen, Siargao Island, Espoir School of Life works toward that goal by providing education to children from underserved communities while helping them develop practical skills for everyday life.
The school recently drew attention through a visit from teachers Sky Bautista and Marah Arcilla, who organized a movement workshop for its students. What began with an exchange on social media became an opportunity for the children to explore movement and creative expression.
For Teacher Sky, the experience reinforced a simple but important message: children need opportunities alongside their dreams. But the visit also offered a glimpse into the school and the community it serves, where access to education and other opportunities can make a meaningful difference.
Espoir School of Life: A Place to Learn and Grow
Established in 2016, Espoir School of Life was created to help address the educational needs of children in a community facing economic and social challenges. Located in GK Village in Barangay Lobogon, the school serves families in a resettlement area where access to stable housing, land, and livelihood opportunities can be limited.
For many families, meeting immediate needs can take priority over long-term plans. This can make it difficult to keep children in school and give them opportunities to develop interests and skills beyond what their circumstances allow.
Espoir aims to respond to these challenges by making education accessible and creating an environment where children can learn, develop practical abilities, and explore possibilities for their future.
The school's work also extends beyond conventional classroom lessons. Its approach incorporates life skills, personal development, and community-based activities, recognizing that a child's growth is shaped not only by what happens in school but also by the circumstances surrounding them.
For the community it serves, Espoir represents an opportunity for children to learn in a supportive environment while gaining experiences that may otherwise be out of reach.
The Value of Hard Work
Gerald Sanoy, the school's principal, has seen how economic hardship can affect children's lives from an early age.
In a video documenting the visit of Teachers Sky and Marah, Sanoy described children in the community as belonging to families facing significant difficulties, including a lack of land and stable housing. He recalled encountering a six-year-old child already working in construction, illustrating how early children can be exposed to the pressures of earning a living.
Sanoy also acknowledged that parents dealing with these circumstances may struggle to prioritize education when providing for their families is an immediate concern.
The challenge, then, is not simply to encourage children to stay in school. It is also to help them see the value of learning while recognizing the realities their families face.
At Espoir, practical activities form part of this effort, connecting what children learn with skills they can apply outside the classroom.
From Hydroponics to Financial Literacy
One example is the school's hydroponic garden, where students grow their own lettuce.
Sanoy explained that the school follows a farm-to-table approach, involving children in planting and growing produce. According to him, the school purchases the vegetables grown by the students, allowing them to see how their work can generate income.
He also shared that the children have their own bank accounts, introducing them to the idea of saving and helping them understand the relationship between work, earnings, and financial responsibility.
Through activities like these, students can gain practical experience in growing food while learning about responsibility and the value of their efforts.
The garden also gives children a direct role in producing something useful. Rather than encountering agriculture and financial concepts only as lessons, they can experience how these ideas work in practice.
Together, these activities reflect an approach to education that seeks to equip children with skills they can carry into their everyday lives.
Inspiring Dreams Through Movement
Education also means giving children opportunities to discover interests beyond academic subjects and practical work.
The movement workshop facilitated by Teachers Marah and Sky helping bring the activity to the school, offered students an opportunity to engage in dance and creative expression.
In her account of the visit, Teacher Sky expressed gratitude to the school and the people behind its programs, while sharing her hope of using her platform to extend more help to the children.
Her message highlights another aspect of access to opportunity: children benefit from experiences that allow them to explore their creativity, discover new interests, and participate in activities they may not regularly encounter.
For a school working with underserved communities, opportunities like these can complement classroom learning and practical skills development. They give children additional ways to participate, express themselves, and discover what interests them.
Teacher Sky also indicated that they would return, leaving open the possibility of further activities with the school. Specific plans for future workshops or a continuing partnership, however, have yet to be confirmed.
Beyond The Classroom
Espoir School of Life's work reflects the broader challenges involved in making education accessible to children growing up amid economic hardship.
Providing a place to learn is an important starting point. Helping children develop practical skills, understand the value of their work, and explore their interests can further expand what education offers them.
From growing lettuce and learning about savings to participating in a movement workshop, these experiences allow children to encounter different ways of learning and developing their abilities.
The school's work also underscores the importance of looking at education within the context of the community. When families face difficult economic choices, supporting children's development requires an understanding of those circumstances alongside efforts to keep learning accessible.
The visit from Teachers Sky and Marah has brought renewed attention to Espoir and the opportunities it seeks to create. More than a single workshop, it offers a glimpse of the many ways children can learn and grow when schools, communities, and people willing to share their skills come together.
For the children of Espoir School of Life, the goal is not simply to encourage bigger dreams. It is to help create more opportunities for those dreams to take shape.
