QBE Foundation announces the formal partnership with 2009 CNN Heroes Awardee Efren Penaflorida Jr in his advocacy to help street kids to go back to school, and with QBE Foundation’s support, graduating students under the free education program of Efren’s Dynamic Teen Company (DTC) will be guided by QBE to help and train the students to be prepared to face the life outside school and experience the work atmosphere.
QBE Foundation was formed by QBE Insurance Group, the foundation is a CSR that can support and help charities and NGOs, that helps people overcome disadvantage, strengthen their abilities and live more independently, successfully and productively.
The story of the partnership started when QBE Foundation were looking for new partners that is related to education and a program that can help children realize the benefits of education. Karen Batungbacal, Executive General Manager of QBE Shared Services Centre (GSSC) mentioned to us that they want to get in touch with Efren Penaflorida Jr, then one of the people from QBE informed her that he personally know and can help get in touch with Efren, It was suppose to be a small project with Efren and then the idea and concept grew into a big partnership after a series of meeting, the output was the collaboration of both company - QBE and DTC will enable them to work in a long term project that can be beneficial to DTC’s students.
QBE will be behind in all DTC’s education program and class level like the Kariton Klasrum (Pushcart Classroom), it’s the first major educational program by Efren were he was discovered and noticed by CNN Heroes Award, the Kariton program helps street children to have access to education and have better learning opportunities. In this way, the street kids were given a chance to have free education and this will make them go closer to the right way of life of being properly educated.
Another is the LEAP (Learner’s Educational Aid Program), a program of DTC that will send the children to secondary school, and there’s this STEP (Scholarship for Tertiary Education Program) which will provide scholarship and educational assistance to the deserving youth to get a college degree or a vocational course.
QBE will be there to help Efren’s DTC and also help children of all ages to realize the importance of education and go towards a bright future. QBE’s people, volunteer and employees will be involved in helping DTC’s advocacy and also support its mission in a lot of different ways.
QBE will also build a new school facility for DTC’s Senior High School Program, and Efren mentioned to me that the new building will be located in Amadeo, Cavite. Efren’s first school building, equipped with proper and modern facility is located in Cavite City. Efren mentioned to me that the transfer of kids to another location like in Amadeo will not be a problem, because they have a dorm or house that will be provided by DTC to all their students while under their educational program.
“We all have a responsibility to give back to our community and our country. Through the Foundation, we are able to provide education to those who can’t afford it, and lead them to opportunities for livelihood, employment and sustainability” – Karen Batungbacal, Executive General Manager of QBE Shared Services Centre (GSSC)
”Everybody has a hero in them. Look inside you. You are the change that you dream of and what the world needs to be have” – Efren Penaflorida Jr, 2009 CNN Heroes Awardee and founder of Dynamic Teen Company.
The formal partnership was held in QBE Buiding in BGC last Feb 25, 2016. Efren mentioned me that there will be another Kariton Revolution next month, and that will be the formal inauguration of their partnership with QBE Foundation. The Kariton Revolution is schedule next month, March 6, 2016 in SM Mall of Asia.
Congratulations to both company!
Thank you QBE Foundation and more power to you Kuya Ef
