“I joined Kwentuhang Kabataan because my teacher said there were learning sessions and that we could make our own videos. I enjoyed taking part in Kwentuhang Kabataan,” says Harmie, one of Save the Children’s child partners who shares COVID-related information to fellow children through online videos.
Harmie participated in producing seven Kwentuhang Kabataan episodes covering different issues children face during the pandemic.
“Every weekend, I memorize my script then my mother takes a video of my parts. My favorite episode was the one about climate change where I learned about greenhouse gases. Although I am not fond of science so much, I liked making this episode. Another favorite is the episode on children’s rights,” Harmie shared.
When asked what she feels about making videos to be shared online, she says “It is my first time to help in producing videos. I get a bit nervous when we prepare for an episode because making the script is quite difficult. But once we finish the script, the nervousness fades away. Shooting is also hard though. I record myself again and again because I make mistakes.”
Before being part of Kwentuhang Kabataan, Harmie gets information about COVID-19 from watching the news regularly and reading about it online. She says, “I learned new things when I joined Kwentuhang Kabataan, like the correct way of handwashing and why we need to stay at home.”
Because of the pandemic, Harmie’s class can’t physically meet at school. She says “I found it hard because I get bored at home. Every Monday, my father gets the physical copies of our modules from school and also submits completed modules from the past week. Other times I look at the modules online then answer on a separate paper. I take photos of my answers and send them to our group chat with the teacher. We take our classes everyday at 7AM through our chat group.”
“Although I’m already used to the new class set up, I still prefer face to face classes. When I have difficulty answering the modules, I search about it on the internet but I still understand it better when explained by my teacher. I prefer face to face classes because it is easier for me to understand the lessons,” Harmie explained.
Harmie shared that the last time she saw her teacher and classmates was last March. “We were preparing for the graduation. I was excited because it would have been my first time to march in a graduation ceremony. But because of the pandemic, we celebrated through our group chat instead. Then my mother just picked up my graduation photos from my school.”
When Harmie is done with school work, she likes singing and playing badminton and volleyball with her friends. “Luckily my friends are also my neighbors. If we weren’t neighbors, I would miss them” she says, “Then at home, I wash the dishes and sweep the floor, and sometimes I look after my 4-year-old sister, Hilary.”
“I am now in high school, and fortunately I have now adjusted to the new teacher and new classes. Our teachers help us find ways to make learning fun even if it is online,” Harmie shared. Even if she already has a lot of responsibilities, Harmie still wanted to join Kwentuhang Kabataan to learn more and share what she knows to other children. When asked what else she wants to share through Kwentuhang Kabataan, she says “I can do a session about how to play badminton.”
“I am happy to be able to share what I know to other children. Before I would just watch videos online, but now I am the one in the videos. I want Kwentuhang Kabataan to continue so that more children can learn. My family wants me to be a soldier, like my grandfather, when I grow up. I also want to be a teacher so that I can teach children.”