Executive Summary

More than ever, urbanization and migration are challenging all of us. Such changes brought with it cramped living conditions and high unemployment that are turning some places into ghettos of despair and lawlessness. The lack of the most basic amenities makes living a slow process of dying.

Tondo, Frisco, Payatas, Letre, F. Carlos, Mendez and Philcoa are communities with such conditions. And as in most communities in the Philippines, these places are teeming with young people who do not have much option nor hope in life. Yet, the very existence of these young people. The future of these communities, and as such in this country, will be shaped in part by the lives of these young people.

The ONESIMO FOUNDATION was established to respond to this reality. It envisioned establishing caring communities in these areas as venue for transformation. To concretise the vision, ONESIMO was launched.

The ONESIMO will be accomplished within the context of the ONESIMO Training Communities where the staff will not only be working with the urban youths but will be living in solidarity with them. It is in the context then of a warm and caring community that the youth will be rehabilitated and equipped through capability-building, modelling, coaching, counselling, value formation, community building, protected livelihood projects, volunteerism and networking with other entities of similar vision and concern.