‘’If there is water, there is life,’’ said a young footballer when asked what is the essence of water during the Poster Making Contest held at the Libertad Gym on June 3 and 4, 2023.
The contest was held simultaneously during the Summer Cup 2023. All the young footballers participated in the brief awareness session facilitated by FundLife youth mentors, also recognized as Xylem Water Hero Academy Young Leaders. The youth mentors highlighted information around water, its nature and importance to humans.
‘’As athletes we need to stay hydrated especially when we are doing rigorous activities to avoid any problems especially nowadays that we are experiencing extreme heat,’’ said one young mentor.
After the short awareness session all playing teams were given some art materials that they could use to create their poster along the theme “Importance of having a safe and clean water source in the family and community.”
During their scheduled games, the players utilized their free time to create stunning artwork. Moreover, the young mentors orchestrated a water sanitation and health trivia quiz, which the enthusiastic players enthusiastically participated in, demonstrating their vast knowledge on the subject matter. This activity not only kept the players engaged but also provided a platform for aspiring young artists to showcase their creativity and artistic prowess. Among various poster entries, the artwork of Water Riders and Blue Warriors garnered the most votes for its creativity and portrayal of the essence of water. The members of the winning groups received hygiene kits.
‘’These artworks(posters) only proved that these children are multitalented. They can play sports, they are smart, artistic and creative. They just need to have the opportunity for these skills and talents to be unleashed,’’ said Daniel, one of the Youth mentors.
These series of activities were organized as a response to the negative effect of extreme heat experienced in the region.
According to DepEd, at least 774 public elementary and secondary schools in Eastern Visayas have suspended face-to-face classes this week and shifted to different learning modalities due to extreme heat.
FundLife through its young leaders will continue to hold short and interactive sessions to raise awareness among children about the issue and to equip them with knowledge on measures that even young people can take to mitigate the problem.