MANILA, Philippines - Tisha Cruz’s life mission began with a special gift on her 13th birthday. Her father gathered kids from around their village so she could experience being a teacher for the day in her own backyard.
“I remember making ABC and number worksheets for them,” she shares. “That experience was a turning point in my young life and it crystallized my desire to become a teacher.”
The aspiring teacher did go on to fulfill her dream, teaching in the US for seven years, then coming home to Manila to serve as the head teacher in International School Manila (ISM)’s preschool.
Tisha then engaged her students in a project to help the children of Miarayon, a community from the Talaandig indigenous group of Bukidnon. “During the whole project, I felt a disparity between my ISM classroom and those of the Miarayon children in terms of abundance of materials and resources,” she says. “At that moment, I felt I had to do something. I felt I had to give them teaching tools, materials that would help them unlock the world of discovery and enjoy learning. I almost felt like God was calling me to do this for Him. I did not know how I would do it but I just knew I was going to be led by the Holy Spirit.”
After the birth of her first son, Tisha took a leave from teaching to focus on her family, but her mission was not yet over. “I started to make teaching materials during my free time but my dream to help grew inside me more than ever.”
Thus began the next chapter of Tisha’s mission – the Kinder Project, wherein she and her team develop and provide teaching materials to schools in need all over the country.
“At one point, my brother saw the potential of the materials and convinced me of its many possibilities. That opened my eyes to the opportunity of making materials, selling it and using the profit to be able to give these materials back to all the less fortunate communities,” she explains.
The materials include the Alpabasa series, a Filipino teaching tool. The set includes Alpabasa Filipino flashcards that develop letter and sound recognition in Filipino, a CD of original songs composed by Lester Delgado, a storage chart, and an Awit ng Alpabasa poster. Teachers receive instruction cards on how to use the flashcards to play educational games with the materials.
Since she started, Tisha has met many like-minded supporters and volunteers who have become a part of the Kinder Project, among them Aina Valencia, Rio and TJ Manotoc, Drea Lorenzana, Peachy Maxwald, Jaton Zulueta, Linda Francisco, Liza Lopez and Fully Booked’s Chris Daez.
“There are also my family and friends, too many to mention, that have helped and supported our advocacy from the very start,” says Tisha. “I felt so many people have been sent by God to help make the materials what they are today. It has grown from a simple single material to a program with original books, songs and games. What the Kinder Project is today is because of the magnanimous support and tireless efforts of so many generous individuals.”
Tisha adds, “All the materials we have made, we made for a purpose. We all are involved in this because we know that they will make a difference in the lives of so many Filipino children. We all believe that we can help make a mark in this world, one teacher at a time. When we empower a teacher to teach in an enjoyable, dynamic and productive manner through books, songs and games, we know we are reaching our Filipino children and hopefully creating in them a love for reading, a love for learning and in the process give them a better chance to succeed in life.”
Since the Kinder Project’s start, the team has donated materials to Efren Peñaflorida’s Kariton Klasrum in Cavite; Aha Learning Center in Makati – a free tutorial center for children living in the cemeteries along Kalayaan Avenue; GreenEarth Heritage Foundation in the foothills of the Sierra Madre mountains; the Dumagat community in the remote mountains of San Ysiro, Antipolo; Casili Elementary School in Rizal; Center of Hope in Payatas; two daycare centers in Laguna; F. Benitez Elementary School; Assumption Transformative schools all over the Philippines; and 96 public schools in Quezon City.
“One of my most memorable experiences was conducting a free two-day workshop for the six teachers from the Dumagats in San Ysiro, Antipolo,” says Tisha. “During our workshop, they shared their valuable experiences as volunteer teachers in their area. We cried together, learned together and shared our teaching experiences with each other.”
Another highlight for Tisha is the massive undertaking of bringing educational materials to the 96 schools of Quezon City and having workshops for the teachers. “We could not have done it without the help of our family and friends who gave donations to make this project possible. We were especially blessed with the support of Vice Mayor Joy Belmonte; Rodolfo de Jesus, division supervisor in Filipino; and Marimel Jane Andes, division coordinator for Kindergarten. We truly appreciated their support and the opportunity to be of service to all their teachers. What was so poignant was the joy and eagerness to learn each teacher brought to the workshop.”
Today, Tisha still considers herself a full-time mom dedicated to her family, but she is also a woman on a mission: “I spend many hours on this project and appreciate that my children and husband understand this passion and purpose.”
“The Kinder Project has changed my life in so many ways,” says Tisha. “It has given me friendships I will cherish forever. It has brought me closer to the people they say are closest to our Lord, the poor and needy. It made me experience the simplest joys of life. It has made me become aware of the many little surprises and blessings of God. It has made me wake up each morning with a goal and purpose. Last but not the least, it has brought me to closer to God, believing I am doing His will and fulfilling my purpose here on Earth.”
As the Kinder Project continues to expand, Tisha looks forward to touching more lives. “We are hoping that we will help more children go beyond learning to read but reading to learn,” she says.
In April, the Kinder Project will hold another workshop and donate more materials to their partner schools in Quezon City. In September they hope to launch a fundraising campaign to benefit even more public schools in the Philippines.
Tisha adds, “This year we are also starting to sell our products in stores like Fully Booked and online through LBC’s The Shop. This will hopefully generate enough funding for our advocacy and in the process become self-sufficient, allowing us to continue our mission to build a nation of readers through our empowered teachers.”
Tisha says, “When I think about what I like most about teaching, it is exploring that which motivates and empowers the class to bring out the best in each child and to develop their love for learning.”
Though she no longer teaches in a classroom, she has gone on to inspire and empower many more teachers. With Kinder Project, Tisha continues to touch the hearts and minds of her students – from her backyard to the far corners of the country.
Learn more about the Kinder Project by visiting www.kinderproject.com or facebook.com/kinderprojectph. Teaching materials can be ordered at www.learninglion.theshop.ph. A portion of the proceeds of each sale will benefit the Kinder Project.