00:00Samantala, hindi po nasusukat sa edad ang kakayang makatulong at maging bahagi ng pagbabago.
00:05May mga kabataan sa murang edad pa lang, gumagawa na ng paraan upang makapaglingkod at makatulong sa mga batang nangangailangan.
00:12Tama ka dyan, Diane, ha? Patunay rito ang Project CUP-CUP,
00:17isang youth-led organization na nangalap ng pondo para suportahan ang mga programa ng UNICEF Philippines.
00:24Kaya naman, makasama natin ngayong umaga ang mga taong nasa likod ng inisyatibang ito,
00:29ang founder and president na si Diego Francisco at ang co-founder na si Solentine.
00:35Good morning, Diego and Solentine. Welcome to Rise and Shive.
00:38Good morning! At a very young age. How young?
00:42I'm 17.
00:4317 and?
00:4317 and 16.
00:45Ano, may mga inisyatibes na silang ganito?
00:47Yes.
00:48Nakakatawa naman.
00:49I remember me 17, 16. Well, SK chairman na.
00:51Ah, yun.
00:52You're also doing a change to our community.
00:55But let's talk about this project.
00:57Let's do it.
00:58Tell us about how it began and ano yung mission yung dupas sa proyektong ito.
01:03Okay, well, for Project Coop Coop, I remember me and Solentine one day,
01:07we were having lunch.
01:08Okay.
01:09And you know, we were just making kwento lang.
01:10We were just talking about, you know, the kids our age, what we're doing now.
01:14And we realized that there's no initiative that combines different passions.
01:19I mean, me and Solentine are surrounded by people with different passions, talents, backgrounds.
01:23And we realized there was no space for them to all connect and do something more meaningful.
01:29So, once me and Solentine realized that we both looked at each other and we said,
01:33are you thinking what I'm thinking?
01:35Okay.
01:35And then, from there, Project Coop Coop kind of just began.
01:39And, you know, it was just a process of recruiting people and bringing people together.
01:43But, yeah, I think when we wanted to create a community, we wanted to create one that betters the Philippines.
01:49So, Solentine, Project Coop Coop supports UNICEF Philippines programs on humanization or immunization, sanitation, and education.
01:57Why did you choose to focus on these particular needs of Filipino children?
02:03Actually, Project Coop Coop, when we first began, when we first started, we wanted to support causes such as education,
02:11healthcare,
02:12and because we thought that these are the core values to Filipino, bettering Filipino children's lifestyle.
02:17So, we wanted to find an organization that fit our needs, and we thought, oh, UNICEF Philippines.
02:26So, when we were doing research, we found out that they supported the exact needs that we were looking for
02:31through their program.
02:32So, they have a program, WASH, which stands for Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene, and then ALS, which is Alternative Learning
02:39System.
02:40So, it gives Filipinos second chance education to those who are unable to do it.
02:44Okay.
02:44Well, Jekko, tell us about how you approached the organization, because you were just 16 when you started this.
02:51And also, what's the mechanism that you did or the process that you did to come up with the network?
02:56So, actually, when me and Solentine kind of thought about how to approach UNICEF, we thought, you know, UNICEF's a
03:01big deal, right?
03:02And, you know, we were both 16 at the time, and we thought, oh, that's so ambitious.
03:07But, you know, we thought also, if not us, then who, right?
03:11So, it was a process.
03:13Me and Solentine started cold emailing UNICEF the entire time.
03:18We sent, I think, around three emails.
03:20And luckily for us, around two and a half weeks later, or three weeks, we got a reply.
03:26Okay.
03:27And, you know, UNICEF Philippines responded and said, why don't you come to the United Nations house, pitch your idea,
03:34and let's see where we go from there.
03:35So, then, the mechanism or the process after that was, me and Solentine were so excited but so nervous.
03:41We were so scared.
03:42We created a whole presentation.
03:44We rehearsed all four lines.
03:45And then, from there, we went to the UN house.
03:49We sat in a room.
03:51And then, we gave the whole pitch on what Project Cook Up is.
03:53At that time, it was just an idea still.
03:56Nothing had happened.
03:57But then, UNICEF Philippines was so supportive.
04:00They said, you know, we really love seeing the youth support the youth.
04:04And then, from there, you know, Project Cook Up kind of took off.
04:06Wow, congratulations.
04:07Imagine.
04:09One day, they were just talking about that over lunch.
04:11And now that you're in UNICEF, in the office already.
04:14With the cold email.
04:16Yes.
04:17Ako dati parang cold orange juice lang.
04:21And then, fairness afterwards, nag-materialize yun sa inyo.
04:25Yes.
04:25Well, I understand, of course, organization.
04:28You guys started this.
04:30And you've asked some other young leaders to also be parts of your organization.
04:36So, Solentine, as a young leader, of course, how did you encourage or how do you encourage other students and
04:41young people
04:42to take part in community service and support policies that matter to them?
04:48Well, Diego and I actually brought Project Cook Up into our school, which is how we were able to gain
04:53a lot of youth leaders.
04:55We have over 30 that participated in our last event.
04:58Nice.
04:58And we were just looking for people who had a passion to do better in their community.
05:04So, we wanted to focus on people who are passionate about the environment or healthcare or arts.
05:11It doesn't have to be one specific thing.
05:13We wanted something that could accumulate everyone's wants and needs.
05:18Which is, we also, that's how we got started in our art gallery.
05:22Because we wanted to focus on something creative or artsy rather than just fundraising.
05:27You know, I remember 2040 is actually the year targeted by the United Nations.
05:32Para ma-push through yung sustainable development goals.
05:35I mean, we have many issues here in the countries.
05:37But people like them pushing through with the initiatives and the goals of the sustainable development goals.
05:42And I hope other people would join these kinds of initiatives.
05:45Because, kahit malayo at malayo pa, we need these kinds of activities that empower everyone.
05:52Yes, and nothing is too ambitious if you have these great intentions, right?
05:57Which school are you in right now?
05:58So, we're both in the British School of Manila, BSM.
06:01And I think, actually, what Celan said, when coming in to BSM with this idea, we were scared at first.
06:08Because, you know, I actually just moved to BSM.
06:10I wasn't used to it last year.
06:11And, you know, new students starting this whole new initiative.
06:14You know, it was scary.
06:15But, I mean, I had Celan by my side.
06:17She's been in BSM for so much longer than I have.
06:19And, you know, from there, we realized so many people want to support.
06:23And not a lot of them were given the access to.
06:26So, by creating Project Coup Cup, we were able to give people a space to support little by little.
06:31You know, these are the youth kind of series that came to other schools and the transfer.
06:38Oh, I'm doing big things like this.
06:43You're about to graduate.
06:44So, what are the future plans for Project Coup Cup to sustain the impact of your initiative?
06:50Because, once Diego leaves, he's graduating next year.
06:54We really want Project Coup Cup to have a sustainable continuity in our school especially.
07:01Which is why we already have so many youth leaders from other batches, year groups.
07:06So, that's how we want to sustain our initiatives.
07:10And, after our art gallery, we want to deter into something more impact-based.
07:18Okay.
07:18So, we want to really go to these communities and see our work being put into place.
07:23So, this organization, if I'm not mistaken, is this only one of your schools?
07:27Actually, so, when we were creating Project Coup Cup, we wanted to create something first.
07:31We're independent of our school as well.
07:33But then, we realized a fast way we could, you know, collect people is through our school.
07:39And, you know, there's so many people that want to help.
07:41And, building off of Salen's point, you know, Project Coup Cup, you know, really emphasizes impact.
07:46But, what we emphasize more is sustainable impact.
07:48I mean, as president right now, even if I'm already graduating, I have my next president lined up
07:54and my next, next president lined up.
07:55So, we really want to emphasize and focus on being able to make Coup last.
07:59I think that's what's most important.
08:01Okay.
08:01Anggadan yan.
08:02Makipag-collaborate din.
08:03Sarang maraming organizations sumalim pa.
08:06And, also, lastly, your message to the young Filipinos out there who also would like to make a difference.
08:12What's your message to them?
08:13I think, well, for me specifically, and actually, maybe I can speak for both Salen and I,
08:18it's just that I think it's more of just doing some introspection, reflecting first,
08:22and thinking, what are you passionate about?
08:25Really, what gets your gears going?
08:26What do you want to do?
08:27And, how do you want to make the community better?
08:29And, I think, from there, once you really get to realize your passion and do something about it,
08:33you can be another Project Coup Cup.
08:35Oh, well, inspiration kayo para sa ating hinderasyon ngayon.
08:40And, hoping that your story will encourage more young people, youngsters, take action and make a difference.
08:47Thank you for sharing your advocacy.
08:49And, what you do is very commendable.
08:52Thank you, Diagra.
08:53You may inspire many other young Filipinos out there.
