International Donor Agencies

AusAid – DFAT
http://aid.dfat.gov.au/

Australian Aid, under the Australian government’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, is an organization committed to reduce poverty and improve the living standards of people. The Australian government’s development policy aims to promote prosperity, reduce poverty and enhance stability and accountability, focusing on the Indo-Pacific region including the Philippines.

Through its grant programs, the DFAT works with Synergeia in promoting good governance among local governments.

Synergeia worked with DFAT and Louis Berger, Philippines, in developing a “Provincial Road Management Facility”.  A coalition that was composed of Governors, Mayors, and officials from the National Government  was  successfully organized.  A result was the funding of the Facility in the 2017 National Budget.

Embassy of the United States
http://manila.usembassy.gov/

Since the Republic of the Philippines gained its independence in 1946, the United States government has been represented in the Philippines by the U.S. Embassy in Manila. The Embassy exercises many different functions in its official representation to the Philippine government. These include political, administrative, economic, public diplomacy, and consular affairs managed under the Ambassador by counselors from the Department of State.

Synergeia participates in the English Access Microscholarship Program, an initiative of the United States Embassy in the Philippines and the United States Department of State.  This involves the grant of microscholarship awards to 50 participants, i.e. bright, disadvantaged 14 year olds, to study English for a period of two years.  Students in Sarangani, Bongao, Tawi Tawi were part of the program.  The program now runs in six municipalities in Maguindanao and will soon be implemented in Lanao,

The Ford Foundation
http://www.fordfound.org

The Ford Foundation is an independent non-profit grants-making organization that supports programs on asset building and community development, peace and social justice, knowledge, creativity and freedom.

Synergeia initially served as a learning circle for Ford Foundation grantees that were doing work on education reforms in 2001. Upon closure of the Ford Foundation Manila Office in 2003, Synergeia took stewardship of its education reforms portfolio and was awarded an endowment and a grant to help underwrite its expenses for the next five years. From its initial circle of 17 municipalities, Synergeia has now expanded to cover 200 municipalities all over the Philippines.

UNICEF
http://www.unicef.org/

United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) is an agency of the United Nations devoted to serving the world’s children. UNICEF began providing assistance to the Philippines in November 1948. UNICEF Philippines, works to improve the quality of life of the Filipino children through programs in child protection, education, health and nutrition, disaster risk reduction and emergencies among many others.

Through its grant programs, UNICEF supports the reinvention of Local School Boards, strengthening of Parent Teachers Association so that they can work effectively to transform the lives of children.

United States Agency for International Development (USAID)
http://philippines.usaid.gov

The U.S. Agency for International Development is the lead organization within the U.S. government that provides assistance to developing countries to promote economic and social development.

To improve access to quality education and livelihood skills in areas afflicted by conflict and poverty, particularly in Mindanao, the USAID launched its Education Quality and Access for Learning and Livelihood Skills (EQuALLS) program in 2005. By joining with private sector alliances – corporate foundations and NGOs – the USAID pools not only their financial resources but their creativity, energy and expertise to improve education and livelihood in the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).

Synergeia’s DIWA (Dagyawang Igpaw sa Wastong Agkataw) Alliance is part of the EQuALLS 1 program.  A scaled-up EQuALLS 2 program was launched in 2007 and Synergeia worked with 11 local governments in ARMM not only to improve learning competencies of children but to provide livelihood training to out-of-school-youth.

Synergeia has a cooperative agreement with USAID starting 2013 to strengthen education governance of Local School Boards, School Governance Councils, and school administrators.

Read the story: EDUCATION REFORM EFFORTS TAKE OFF IN THE PHILIPPINES