01/31/2025 | News release | Distributed by Public on 01/31/2025 00:40
Decades of armed conflict have pushed many into extreme poverty and child labour. Growing up in the fields of South Upi in Maguindanao del Sur, 24-year-old Verly Viñas experienced this firsthand.
Verly's childhood was also marked by long hours of harvesting and husking corn. As a member of the Teduray, an indigenous peoples group, she faced inequality and discrimination. She had to confront and overcome difficulties that many indigenous peoples and LGBTQIA+ face.
"We pick corn under the scorching sun. Our hands were bruised and calloused. Our parents barely earn enough to send us to school. People also looked down on indigenous peoples and even laughed at me for being gay," said Verly.
However, these challenges only fuelled her determination to create change. She decided on her own to run for elections. Her win as Chairperson of the Youth Council or the Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) was unexpected. A few months later, Verly joined a training of the International Labour Organization's (ILO) Achieving reduction of child labour in support of education in partnership with the Government of Japan.
The ILO's Supporting Children's Rights through Education, the Arts and the Media (SCREAM) training in February 2024 motivated her to draft a local resolution aimed at providing education to children and youth, many of whom are forced into child labour. She called for an urgent need to support the education of indigenous youth in her community.
"The ILO conducted a training, which included the Youth Councils. When I went home to our district, I immediately called for an emergency or a special session. There, I lobbied that we should fund education because of the high level of child labour especially in our district," Verly recalled.
Verly began by surveying her neighbourhood to understand the root causes of child labour. The local resolution she proposed and implemented brought significant changes. At the start, 40 children and youth received scholarships and free high school tuition.
Verly held community meetings and educational campaigns on children's rights. She partnered with local schools and teachers to support former child labourers. She also reached out to local businesses and farms, urging them not to employ children and instead support community's efforts.
Verly knew awareness was not enough. Throughout the implementation of the SCREAM module, she provided financial support to families in need using the youth council's funds. She also crafted a local resolution and engaged communities to join the annual World Day against Child Labour, held every 12 June.
From the cornfields where she once toiled under the scorching sun, she rose to become a beacon of hope. She carried the dreams of countless children and indigenous peoples who, like her, yearned for a better future.
Her journey shaped her into a leader who not only addressed child labour in her community, but also motivated others to believe in change. With the right support and opportunities, even those who face difficulties in life can ignite transformative change.