Agribida is Back!

The long wait is over! Agribida is now back after almost half a year of not operating as a project under AIESEC Davao.

The team agribida is now very excited to give another fruitful experience for another batches of EPs this summer 2016. The experience of our exchange participants is our outmost concerns that is why this summer, the project is offering two cycles. You heard it right, two additional cycles which are Cycle 9 and Cycle 10.

Agribida Summer 2016 promotional materials 

The two new cycle will start on different dates. For cycle 9, it will begin on late June while cycle 10 on late July to give way to other countries who’s availability does not coincide with the project timeline.

This year, agribida will be working with two different communities-Bible Community and Baranggay Mintal in Davao City.

Agribida Cycle 5 with Mintal Community

“We would like to try new communities for Agribida and as well as for other projects so that it can cater a large number of people” according to Kate Dublin, Vice President for Projects.

Agribida Cycle 6 during their last day in Philippine Eagle Foundation

The project will be expecting a total of forty (40) exchange participants coming from different countries to immersed themselves with Project Agribida. This year, the Exchange Participants will focus greatly on their community as the bilateral talks between the Eagle Foundation and AIESEC Davao is still on going.

Agribida Cycle 7A during the ribbon cutting activity for their project FIGHTER

“We wish for greater success for Agribida as they take another year of memorable experience for our future interns”, Jaymark Fernan former Project Manager said.

Farewell for Agribida 2016

It’s a temporary goodbye for Agribida 2016 after the successful implementation of the two last projects coming from Cycle 8.

Two new additional projects have been added to Agribida Projects as they have successfully implemented project vertical gardening and project Road to Future. Project Vertical Gardening got their implementation a week ahead of their timeline. Due to unavailability of their project coach Mr. Jojo Rom, they decided to conduct it on their 5th week. One of the low cost project, with almost zero expenses Project Vertical Gardening bid their goodbyes through a very emotional training.

Vertical Gardening team visited Jojo Rom house

The project decided to choose three  households to conduct their new system of urban gardening as they cannot cater the huge number of households on their community. They have started by ensuring a proper site for gardening, type of lands and responsible household.

Jojo Rom together with the project team. 

After which, they invited the King of Urban Farming to do special trainings for the chosen family. Due to increasing demand, they decided to conduct a community wide training headed by Jojo Rom. He talked about land mixture, organic fertilizers and pesticides and as well as proper caring of urban plants. They ended their project with an emotional group sharing with their chosen family.

Jojo Rom the king of Urban Gardening discussed about the proper mixture of garden lands

On the other hand, project road to future ended their project by constructing a wider and longer roads for Purok 18. For three days, they have constructed almost 200 meters of farm road to market which caters the people living in the site. They also conducted a series of workshop headed by central 911 of the local government of Davao to address the issues of health care on their assigned community.

Project Road to Future team successfully implemented their farm to market road.

A little girl trying to do first aid activities during the training session conducted by purok 18 team.

Sue Han Tan from Malaysia got the leadership award whereas Project Vertical Gardening bagged the Best Project for Cycle 8.

Masaki got the 8th Leadership award

The project ended with an emotional goodbyes. Out of nine (9) exchange participants coming from Egypt, China, Japan, Indonesia and Vietnam  a young leader had risen.

Duy an intern from Vietnam during their project implementation.

For the past 6 cycles, Agribida is awarding Leadership Award/s to young exchange participants who excelled in both team and project management. EPs coming from Indonesia, Germany, Japan, Australia, Pakistan, Czech Republic and Malaysia stand out during their respective cycles.

Sota Nakamura shared his experiences and challenges with the project.

Another Japanese listed in Agribida Hall of Fame and her name is Risa Masaki. She is the team leader for Project Fighter, currently awarded as the best project during their cycle. It was a big challenge for her as a leader since they’re handling a huge project with big expectation coming from the local government.

Koji Tanabe shared his experience with his team mate and project Agribida

On the other Sota Nakamura, Chenwei Yu and Koji Tanabe from Japan and China got the Outstanding Awards during the culmination night.

 

Cycle 8 with two new projects approved!

Here comes another nerve wracking presentation from our dear Exchange participants from Cycle 8. In order for them to proceed with their desired projects they need to surpass the panel board headed by the barangay officials, purok leaders and project board. The EPs must create projects based on their community needs and the result of their surveying.

Two projects are now on hand and needs approval from the local government these are Project Vertical Gardening and as well as Road to Future.

Project Vertical Gardening with the Barangay Captain after they project Presentation

Project Vertical Gardening is an initiative together with Jojo Rom which is dubbed as the king of  Urban Container gardening working in ABS-CBN Agri Tayo Dito. They wish each of the households in the city will have foods to serve for their growing family. They decided to conduct a two-week implementation starting with market research until the joint training’s with the community.

Project Road to Future together with the Captain after their nerve wracking project presentation

Project Road to Future on the other hands continues the project of Project Bright in Purok 18. As the community needs assistance in terms of infrastructures especially in roads to farm market, they need to address this issue by paving another road on the other site. They also decided to give them first aid training as health issues is one of their major problems.

Community Children in Purok 18 

“It is my pleasure to have their projects approved during their presentation. I guess we need to work hard especially during their fundraising activity”, Peach Llanto, Project Manager for Cycle 8 said.

Fighter Team got the Best Project award

It has been a long journey for Agribida Cycle 7!

Truly, it is one of the memorable cycles we ever had in our project. After six weeks of sacrifices, challenges, happiness and sadness the two project team for Cycle 7 successfully implemented Project Fighter and Project Reconstruction.

It was a roller coaster ride for both teams as they have to gather sufficient funds for their projects which it’s impossible for them to conduct local sponsorships during their timeline. So they have to think of better ideas to collect almost a hundred thousands of pesos just to ensure that their projects will be implemented before they will leave the country.

Sota Nakamura shared about his experience during the culmination night 

Project Fighter aims to give sports facilities to their assigned community to address increasing demand for basketball players and as well as quality talents from Mintal. They aim to raise awareness about socialization and by honing young talents to become future athletes. They ended their project with a Palaro between foreign students and Mintal Youth Basketball Players.

A very excited crowd after the ribbon cutting ceremony for Project Fighter together with the Barangay Officials.

On the other hand, Project Reconstruction headed by Koji Tanabe from Japan also successfully implemented their project in Purok 2. They reconstructed the small chapel which serves almost two hundred (200) residents of the community during holy Eucharist and gatherings. They also repainted the church and bought additional chairs and new guitar for the musician head. The project ended by a ribbon cutting together wit the church and Mintal Officials.

Project Reconstruction Team together with the Church Officials of their purok.

During the culmination night of Agribida, Project Fighter got the best project for cycle 7.

 

Cycle 6, 7 and 8 unite in celebration of Kadayawan Festival 2015

The long wait is over, Kadayawan 2015 is finally here! It is the most important celebration in Davao as this signifies unity among different culture, belief and religion in the country. It is also a celebration for bountiful harvest in the city.

Another colorful day in Davao City

Cycle 7 enjoyed the Kadayawan Indak-Indak sa Kadalanan amidst a very hot weather. They were able to experience the street dancing competition and took a lot of pictures with colorful costumes and traditions from different contender. Together with few cycle 8 interns, they got the chance to roam around the city, eat delicacy and enjoyed the thrill and excitement during that day.

Emilia (Cycle 7) and Steve (Cycle 8) experienced Kadayawan street dancing

Cycle 6 however, attended the Pamulak sa Kadalanan or the annual Fluvial parade where there are some designed artworks featured along the streets of Davao.

One of the interns were interviewed by local TV network in Davao

People were looking on them as they were amazed how AIESEC unites young leaders from different countries and do a social impact in Davao. They were interviewed with some local medias and asked about their purpose of visiting the city.

Veronica, Chenwei, Yuxuan, Jonas, Yanan and Hubert joined the parade for the Pamulak sa Kadalanan

It was truly notable day for our exchange participants for they got to experience one of Philippines’ pride, Kadayawan Festival.

It is one of the best experience ever, I have to get involved with different Davao activities which are very memorable for us, from Chenwei Yu (Agribida Cycle 7)

Agribida Cycle 7 Family picture

EPs ended their day with a blast. At night they went for street parties, rage and disco bars to experience nightlife during Kadayawan Festival.

Not an ordinary business training

One of the aims of Agribida is to make sure all the Eps will be able to grasp all the business techniques to easily get partnerships, funds and support from the people and establishment in Davao. It is the core part of their project implementation for this will determined whether they will be able to implement the desired projects or their effort will be wasted.

Before the business training, Cycle 7 interns saying goodbye to one of their mates (Abdel)

 

The business training headed by Migi Mercado and Paul Buendicho with the help of other alumni and project board was a success. The training started with a presentation about marketing and selling. Eps were agiven activities such as elevator pitching and few inputs about selling a product. Koji Tanabe and Chenwei Yu both from different teams excelled in the elevator pitching. After the nerve wracking elevator pitching, the board decided to give the Eps the independence to create their own project. For thirty minutes, they need to sell the products to the investors and partners as if they are doing it in a real time situation.

Most of them got stocked in Finance and Services as their proposal is too weak and having poor details. After an hour of selling and presentation, the group of Koji Tanabe and Phat Trinh got the first place followed by Risa Masaki Team and Sota Nakamura Team.

Trying to learn their speeches for the business training elevator pitching

The experience of learning business techniques will surely help our team specially that we need to get our desired amount of money on time, according to Risa Masaki.

The Eps then gave letters to each as a sign of gratitude and had a short meeting for fundraising strategies and scheduling.

Nerve-wracking project presentation

One of the hardest activity of Agribida -to get the approval from the local officials about their desired projects. The Agribida Cycle 7 were divided into two teams and were assigned in Purok 2 and Purok 4 consecutively. They have to create a project that is unique from other cycles. All the pressures and nervousness were flowing on their blood as they have started to present their desired projects.

The first group decided to introduce a sports clinic facility to their community. Based on the survey they’ve gathered, the group oversee issues such as pathways, limited source of water, untrained talents and Light system. They have tried to consult and answer all those issues, but the current government is now trying their best to present a solution. So they were left between pathway and sports facilities. The team then discussed with the group and finally come up with a sports clinic where they will be able to provide the community the equipment’s they need to sustain growth and talents in sports.

Interns are presenting their projects to Barangay Mintal Officials

 

Their project will also alleviate drugs and will give chances to Mintal to produce excellent players. They have proposed a budget of almost forty thousand pesos. The local officials were hesitating that they won’t be able to gather in a short span of time, and were thinking not to approve it. But then again with their courageous words and dedication of the first team they got the yeses from the people in the presentation.

On the other hand, the second group wanted to address the issue such as poor education facility, agribusiness, canal system and as well as reconstruction of the church. After deliberating with all their projects in mind, the team were left between the agribusiness and reconstruction. They have consulted other people but most of them disagree with their agribusiness idea and that is to raise pigs for chosen households. The second group then decided to do the reconstruction of the church since religion is very important to Filipinos. They were able to estimate the cost up to ten thousand pesos and come up with a fundraising events to raise all funds needed.

A presentation was made from Purok 4 group

Both of the projects were approved by the board, though there are some hesitations but the local officials are hoping that these grand projects will come into reality.

Congratulations Cycle 7, you have done a great job!

Will the first team be able to raise the desired amount for the construction of their basketball court? Tune in for more updates!

Yuan and Besarab, Cycle 6 Leadership Awardees

Not just one but two exchange participants got the leadership awardees for the sixth cycle of Project Agribida. Two young ladies who proved to everyone that they have this so called burning passion and skills in team management.

Everyone were laughing as Jiaming is making his speech

 

The project ended with a blast! The sixth installation of Agribida was truly remarkable. Out of twenty-one EP eight young leaders got the outstanding awards. Asia and Europe region led this cycle’s awardees. The eight outstanding exchange participants were Tam Xi Yuan(Malaysia), Yohana Amelia (Indonesia), Yuxuan Leng (China), Autumn Sun (China), Jonas Fluchtmann (Germany), Ulyana Makarava (Belarus), Olena Besarab (Ukraine) and Hubert Zajac (Poland). The eight leadership awardees have proven themselves in different ways. It was awarded together with barangay councilor and the project board.

During their last day in the Philippine Eagle Foundation

 

After the selection and awarding of the outstanding leaders, two Exchange participants got the most outstanding award. Olena Besarab and Tam Xi Yuan received the most outstanding awards as a signed of their courageous deeds and excellent leadership skills.

Veronica is delivering her speech to everyone

The event ended as the project team announced the best project and formally closed the program with a speech from the incumbent project manager, Jaymark Fernan.

Pre Kadayawan Celebration with Cycle 7

The biggest and grandest celebration is finally here in Davao City.

After a very tough week for our young leaders in Cycle 7, they got a chance to explore the city at night. The Eps went to Matina Town Square to have some dinner and do some relaxation. The restaurants in the area were very busy as tourist arriving in the city due to upcoming Kadayawan 2015. The Eps were able to go and explore the place and tried the best Halo-Halo in the region. After being so full, they grabbed some cocktails and played to a very small stall courtesy of Globe.

Enjoying the night in the Matina Town Square

They need to pass through all obstacles and got their patches signed by authorized people to get their reward at the end of the game. The team started the game by singing in a karaoke stall. It was a very awesome experience as our ep’s tried their best to sing and showed their hidden talents to others. After a mind blowing karaoke experience, the EP’s went to try dancing. They have showed their skills, though not that impressive but still they did it smoothly and lastly, they went to a photo stall. They have expressed their creative with the 3D photo stall where you can also have customized all the shots you want to be taken.

Karaoke with Agribida Cycle 7 interns

The night ended as the Eps got their reward, a food sponsored by Saging Repablik.