Enhancing lives and Developing Indigenous Peoples CommUnities through Education (EDICUTE) INCORPORATED is a nonprofit organization committed to empower Filipino indigenous people with equal opportunities to improve their lives and the lives others.
<p><strong>Enhancing lives and Developing Indigenous Peoples CommUnities through Education(EDICUTE) INCORPORATED</strong> is a nonprofit volunteer organization committed to empower Filipino indigenous people with equal opportunities to improve their lives and the lives of others. Our mission is to promote education by providing services that address and reduce the illiteracy rate of Filipino indigenous peoples. Edicute Inc. supports the establishment of sustainable community based literacy schools to make basic education service accessible, contributes in the reduction of malnutrition and promotes health and sanitation amongst indigenous peoples. Further, Edicute promotes camaraderie, volunteerism, leadership and shared social responsibility.<br><br>Initially founded in 2011 as a collective initiative to help the Mangyans in Mindoro, through their first and principal project, Run for Pencils. Through this cause-oriented initiative, running enthusiasts who become volunteer runners make use of their official race performances to collect pledges from supporters, who can give a corresponding donation for every kilometer they complete. In turn, these contributions are consolidated to create a pool of funds that would later be used to purchase school supplies and other learning facilities for Mangyan schoolchildren.<br><br>In 2012, other projects were initiated to expand assistance to Edicute’s recipients. This includes Edicute Ang Pasko, a Christmas fundraising activity which supports Mangyan families with grocery packs making Christmas spirit alive in their homes. Tri (Triathlon) for Pencils, on the other hand was launched in 2013 to raise funds to support the construction of a water system in Sitio Gaang, Brgy. Panaytayan, Mansalay, Oriental Mindoro, where the absence of clean water has been a problem for years and where one of the non-formal Mangyan schools being supported by Edicute is situated. This project has been completed in July 2014.<br><br>Further, another cause-oriented initiative, Bike for Pencils was organized to raise funds for the provision of school supplies and other educational needs to more IP beneficiaries. The inaugural Bike from Pencils involved 21 volunteers who travelled more than 500 kilometers from Manila (via Antipolo) to Sorsogon (Matnog) by bicycles.<br><br>To date, 28 outreach programs have already been conducted by Edicute in Mindoro, Nueva Ecija and Capas Tarlac benefiting more than 4,000 IP school children and more than 2,725 families including beneficiaries from the Aeta and Lumad tribes. Feeding, art, storytelling, educational and social activities were also organized during these outreaches. It is through the dedication of volunteers and support of partners and donors that Edicute is able to successfully deliver these projects and programs.</p>