The GK International Farm Village Kids’ Camp: A Unique Summer Learning Experience

As a family living smack-dab in the middle of the city, we often wonder how our life would be if we lived in the province. When I was still a young child, my father worked as an agricultural lecturer for the Bruneian government, so our family was based in an agricultural training center, which was sort of like a farm.

I still fondly recall those days of walking around the grounds of the training center — to see the cows grazing in the fields, or look at the different trees and plants. My siblings and I also loved feeding the fish in the huge fish pond located near the entrance of the training center, and riding our bikes, or taking walks with my parents. Those days were full of meaningful childhood memories.

Now that I’m a mom, I want to expose my children to such experiences too. I want them to experience the beauty of nature, and to see how farm life can be fun and exciting. Thus I was glad to stumble upon an announcement on Gawad Kalinga (GK)’s website about the new summer camp programs at the GK Enchanted Farm Village.

The GK Enchanted Farm Village
The GK Enchanted Farm Village is a 34-hectare prototype farm of Gawad Kalinga. Located an hour away from Manila in Angat, Bulacan, the farm is designed to become a Destination for Social Tourism, an Incubator for Social Business and a Community Platform for Social Education.  

Built and co-managed by an international team of social entrepreneurs and innovators coming from different parts of the world, the farm is an avenue for learning about the realities on the ground beyond the classroom where people get to interact with other nationalities and cultures; learn about present and future issues, and create viable solutions with others.

[previous|page|next]

Camp Programs for Summer 2014
The summer programs are “designed to inspire future generations of leaders, social entrepreneurs and innovators by engaging young people through fun and exciting hands-on learning experiences.”

One of the programs, the International Farm Village Kids' Camp, was designed for children ages 6 to 12. Children are invited to discover the magic of our land during a two-day overnight weekend camp and experience fun-filled activities that include a farm-azing race, golden egg hunt, cheese and chocolate making, toy workshop, farm-to-table cooking, and an animal farm adventure.

Dates: April 26 & 27 (Batch 1) and May 10 & 11 (Batch 2)

Location: GK Enchanted Farm, Angat, Bulacan

Fees: P3,500 per person (50% deposit required)

Details: Includes overnight accommodations, meals, materials, and transportation from Metro Manila to the GK Enchanted Farm. Program of activities tailored for parents (but participation is optional).

We asked Raf Dionisio, one of the people behind the Kids' Camp, a few questions about the program:

Q: Who are the main organizers/movers behind the International Farm Village Kids' Camp?
A: It was planned by the GK Enchanted Farm, whose founder is Tony Meloto, who also founded Gawad Kalinga (GK).It's currently overall managed by Vicki Cabrera.

Q: What led to the conceptualization of the International Farm Village Kids' Camp?
A: We want to encourage kids to discover the beauty of the Philippines, to enjoy and connect with nature, to connect with poor communities, and to see that we can produce a lot of high-value food using local materials. We hope that these kids become entrepreneurs one day so we want to try to build their confidence and expose them to many products.

Q: What can participants — kids and parents — expect from the Camp?
A: (They will) learn how to make cheese, chocolate, plant herbs, do vermiculture. It will be hosted by an international team of Filipino and French entrepreneurs.

Gawad Kalinga Enchanted Farm also offers the following:
•    International Farm Village Career Camp (for high school students)
•    Social Business Start-up Camp (for college students)

For registration and inquiries, please email info@gkenchantedfarm.com or call (0916) 225 3363. Limited slots only. Log on to http://www.gk1world.com/enchanted-farm-summer-camps for more details.