Alexandra Eduque Leads MovEd Philippines To A Brighter Future
While some teenagers were hanging out in malls with friends and experimenting with makeup, Alexandra Eduque, at 15, was building homes with Habitat for Humanity. “I grew up in a household and family where giving back was the norm,” she begins. “I’ve been a volunteer for different causes since.”
Now, 28-year-old Alex leads MovEd Philippines, a non-profit organization that brings early childhood care and development programs to communities in need. She explains how the highest drop-out rate happens in Grade 1 because kids lack school readiness, and when they enter the classroom, start feeling left behind because they are not prepared. She felt that this being a crucial period in a child’s life, it was necessary to create a program specifically for this age group.
Founded in 2012 with just one classroom of 37 students, MovEd’s holistic program doesn’t just nourish the mind and body?with school curricula and in-class feeding programs, but also provides parenting seminars and livelihood opportunities for parents. At the moment, MovEd has 22 learning labs and over a thousand students around the country. They are also in the midst of developing a play-based, kindergarten learning curriculum, targeting this year for its publication.
While Alex is passionate about other advocacies, her primary focus is MovEd. “I think my bigger mission in life is really to show people that you can help out, that every bit of help goes a long way. It’s not about how much you are able to give monetarily—it’s about ?how much of yourself you’re willing to lend to others—through time or whatever resources you’re able to give.”
Photography by Cyrus Panganiban for Metro
Styling by John Karunungan and Hillary Lee of Styledit group
Shot on Location at Makati Garden Club
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