Building Bridges: Jalawelo’s Journey with Dela Vega City
Since 2015, Jalawelo has cultivated a lasting and impactful partnership with Dela Vega City, transforming community engagement through dedicated support and collaboration.
Establishing the Relationship Between Jalawelo and Dela Vega City
Jalawelo made its debut in Dela Vega City (DVC) in 2015. We were drawn to DVC after meeting the dedicated grassroots leadership team that seemed determined to tackle the community's challenges head-on. DVC checked all the boxes for what we call a "faithful community" – leaders who are passionate and committed and who work tirelessly to make a sustainable impact on the community despite limited resources. One shining example was DVC's after-school homework program, showcasing not just excellence in the way the program was run, but there was genuine care for the well-being of the students. The homework program serves more than 100 students from Mondays through Thursdays during the school year. The academic support the students receive has resulted in a significant improvement in their performance on the national Primary Exit Profile (PEP) examinations.
Despite the hurdles of violence and a negative reputation in the Spanish Town area, a warm welcome from the leadership team into the DVC family opened doors for us to better understand their world. Our first priority was building solid and trusting relationships with the leaders. And they were just as eager to build relationships and collaborate with us. We provided technology training to facilitate communication and teamwork, diving deep into Google Workspace collaboration tools like Docs and Sheets. We even provided mentorship and helped one of the key leaders earn a project management certificate.
Embracing Challenges and Building Trust
We started our engagement by supporting existing programs, such as projects to enhance the homework center, to both build trust and demonstrate our commitment to the DVC community. A highlight was helping to fund an unforgettable beach trip for students who had never experienced such a getaway. It was a great ice-breaker and set up Jalawelo to quickly ramp up efforts as a trusted partner. As the partnership developed, we increasingly found that we were able to sync our efforts with DVC's dreams, from helping to support sports programs to annual events, to focusing on key initiatives to fulfill Jalawelo’s mission of providing holistic support for communities where we work.
Empowering through Education and Mentorship
Based on a need to support vulnerable young adults in the community, we launched our Young Adult Circle (YAC) program with a cohort of 12 young people from the community. This program empowers vulnerable youth with mentorship, support, and IT skills. Together, we tackled challenges head-on, from offering trauma counseling and COVID-19 relief and replacing a commercial freezer to upgrading crucial infrastructure like replacing termite-ravaged doors with sturdy metal ones. And we even chipped in to help pay the electricity bill during the tough times of COVID! These are just a few examples of the many initiatives through which we have engaged in a long-term partnership with Dela Vega City. We believe that sustainable change will only come through trusting relationships and long-term commitments to vulnerable communities.
A Lasting Partnership and Future Aspirations
Our bond with DVC has blossomed into a partnership, going beyond individual projects. Jalawelo emerged as a trusted partner that the Dela Vega City (DVC) community turned to for support during leadership elections. Jalawelo actively engaged with DVC to facilitate and streamline the election process. Whether providing expertise in organizational matters, facilitating community processes, or offering strategic advice, Jalawelo became an integral part of DVC's decision-making and problem-solving framework.
The story of Jalawelo and Dela Vega City is proof of how sustainable partnerships, community involvement, and holistic support can spark positive change and resilience. By aligning our goals, working hand in hand, and facing challenges together, we have been able to make a real difference in DVC's growth and empowerment. We're in it for the long haul, dreaming of a future where we launch social enterprises to create jobs for the individuals in the community.