Former Street Kids Earn Cookery Skills

Young men from CCT's residential school proudly show their cookery course certificates. 

Twelve of the young men cared for by the Center for Community Transformation (CCT) at its residential school in Magdalena, Laguna have gained cookery skills after attending a Bayan Academy course.They also passed the related competency assessment of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), earning national certification 2.

"What a blessing this is," enthused Ruth Callanta, CCT president and founder, after the graduation ceremony. "Who would have thought that these boys, who just a few years ago lived on the street, can now prepare and cook several international dishes!Nothing is impossible if you believe in God," she added, reflecting on the transformation undergone by the young men.

The cookery course is part of Bayan Academy's Entreprenuership Education for Community Development program sponsored by J.P. Morgan and held in partnership with TESDA and CCT. The intention of this program, according to the Bayan website, is that trainees armed with both a technical vocation and business management knowledge become 'technopreneurs' fully equipped to establish their own income and employment generating enterprise.

The young men learned cold kitchen fundamentals such as the preparation and production of sandwiches and salads, and hot kitchen recipes such as soups and main dishes. Among the main dishes they can now make are risotto and paella. They also learned how to make pastries and desserts such as cream puffs, baklava, and mousse.

According to Arthur Aguinaldo of Bayan Academy, the TESDA national certificate 2 that each of the young men earned is a plus point for future employment because it is recognized by local and international employers and  is the same certificate also sought by graduates of high-end culinary schools.

Ruth Callanta, CCT president and founder, signs
certificates while two happy graduates look on.