Project N.E.S.T. (Nurturing Environment and System for Thriving) is a community-based education assistance initiative that was developed by Mr. Zab Jimenez, Fernandino educator and youth advocate. Born at the onset of the pandemic, its objective is to address educational needs of students in the form of tangible goods, such as school supplies and books, and services, such as tutoring and module assistance, provided by every member of the community.
Members of a barangay, from the school’s teachers, administrators and parents, barangay officials, groups and individual residents voluntarily address student needs posted on their education community pantries online or submitted through dropboxes in their schools. It was relaunched for its second year last month to include an expanded memorandum of agreement signed between the public and the private sectors to continuously provide support for the project.
This month, Project N.E.S.T. through its founder, Zab Jimenez, was able to partner with Megaworld Foundation. On November 14, the group donated 1,000 education kits for all students in San Juan South Elementary school (kinder to grade 6) and San Fernando West Integrated School (kinder to grade 12), both in Barangay San Juan in the City of San Fernando, Pampanga. Kits included notebooks, writing and coloring materials and art supplies. The kits aim to decrease the expenses of students and their families with necessary school supplies needed for various school assignments and projects.
“I want to thank Megaworld Foundation for their support to our Fernandino learners, especially in Barangay San Juan, as these educational kits will really help our learners focus on their school requirements“, Jimenez said. “I hope that many more institutions and individuals continue to support our learners’ needs throughout the school year,” he added.
The educational kits were distributed in a ceremony led by Zab Jimenez, project N.E.S.T. proponent, together with Megaworld Foundation officials, Mr. Russel Morota and Ms. Victoria De Castro – Program Associates and Ms. Janel Gabriel – Assistant Supervisor, as well as DepEd San Fernando Division officials Mr. Felino Sawal and Ms. Airene Dayrit and school heads Mr. Randy Salvador and Ms. Dorothy Espanol. They were also joined by Ms. Danielle Samson Sayson, Assistant Vice President of Capital Town Megaworld in this City.
