UNICEF to donate books to DSWD Davao youth center

DAVAO CITY, Oct. 9 (PNA) -- The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) will turnover book donations during the celebration of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Regional Rehabilitation Center for Youth (RRCY) 30th anniversary here on Friday.

The celebration will be highlighted by a thanksgiving mass; blessing and inauguration of annex building, library and canteen; launching of the RRCY multi-purpose cooperative and productivity projects; and awarding ceremonies. DSWD Assistant Secretary Ruel G. Lucentales and lawyer Alberto Muyot of UNICEF are the guests of honor.

Mila T. Segovia, RRCY head, said the theme for the event is “RRCY at 30: Accessing Opportunities to Children in Conflict with the Law (CICL) Towards Productivity and Independent Living”.

The center is located in a three-hectare rehabilitation complex in Bago Oshiro, Tugbok District, this city. It works with an interdisciplinary team of social workers, psychologists, house parents and homelife staff.

The youth offenders in the center are below 18 years old who are cared for under a structured therapeutic environment to help them become socially functioning individuals.

“To prepare them for independent living, our youth residents are involved in productivity projects such as vermiculture and composting, anthurium production, goat raising, carpentry and masonry, and food production and processing,” Segovia said.

She said the boys are also active members of the RRCY Multi-Purpose Cooperative and Pasalubong Counter.