BANTU Philippines fights poverty through the Brazilian art of Capoeira and high-impact social programs. Through music, movement and play we empower at-risk children & youth with the skills to be successful in life.
BANTU Philippines was founded by Filipino Capoeira practitioners oriented by Mestre Roxinho, a renowned Capoeira Master and youth educator in 2012. We began using Capoeira to teach important life skills to a handful of youth on the streets to now supporting hundreds of youth in disadvantage in key areas including nutrition, academics, employment and more.
Inviting everyone to celebrate Brazil’s Independence Day with the Embassy of Brazil in Manila – Embaixada do Brasil em Manila and the BANTU Kids at the Salcedo Market, September 7th, 7AM to 2PM!!
Our awesome youth leaders are poised to embark on a life-changing adventure to Japan, where they’ll travel internationally for the first time, learn from a renowned Master of Capoeira Angola, and return even stronger to support their peers.
But we need YOUR help to make this dream a reality! Donate now to our GoFundMe campaign and be a part of this transformative journey.
BANTU Philippines & ECAMAR Philippines proudly invite you to “EmpoderAngola:
Workshops on Capoeira Angola as an Instrument for Social Transformation and a Philosophy of Empowerment with Mestre Roxinho”
CASA BANTU, San Andres Bukid, Manila | September 26th to 29th, 2024
Through BANTU Eats, we are able to provide over 200 meals per week. Meals typically include protein, fruits and vegetables – which children rarely have access to due to poverty.
30% of Filipino children under the age of 5 are stunted (low-height-for-age) placing us in the top 10 globally. Malnutrition correlates to inhibited brain development leading to lower levels of schooling, reduced cognitive ability and lower earning potential later in life.
The World Bank reports that for every $1 invested in nutrition, we get a $44 return in terms of productivity in school, at home and in the community.
BANTU inaugurated its first-ever CASA BANTU Community Center in San Andres Bukid in May of 2023. The attainment of a longstanding dream and the culmination of years of hard work, CASA BANTU aims to provide youth with the resources they need to be successful and support youth in key developmental areas including nutrition, education, sports, art, and more. CASA BANTU also hosts free workshops open to the community aimed at improving economic and health outcomes for families as well as reducing crime, illicit drug use and teen pregnancy. BANTU constantly innovates and works with partners to implement new programs to empower youth and their families.
Our long-term goal is to open more CASA BANTU Community Centers in different communities to help fight poverty and give more disadvantaged youth a chance at success.
The Philippines has been gaining notoriety for its lagging educational system with an incendiary report from the World Bank asserting that 90% of Filipino children aged 10 struggle to read or understand a simple text.
Through BANTU School, we hope to build a deeper sense of engagement in youth for education and develop them into lifelong learners. Our two programs involve working on basic literacy and numeracy for children homework help and remedial academic programs for middle to high schoolers.
BANTU School also focuses on generating interest and excitement for STEM subjects and preparing youth for a world that is tilting more and more digital.
Our flagship program: Capoeira is an excellent tool for engaging disadvantaged youth through its combination of music, movements and play. Capoeira provides us with an excellent medium for teaching the skills they need to succeed including strategic thinking, self-control, confidence, empathy and interpersonal skills, critical thinking and more.
Capoeira is also an excellent avenue for teambuilding and developing community among youth of different ages, genders, socio-economic backgrounds and ethnicities.
From poor households, only 2% of people will have benefitted from tertiary education. Research shows that workers with college earn up to 4.5 times the wage of their counterparts. Without the benefit of academic degrees, dignified work opportunities for disadvantaged youth are extremely limited. This puts them at severe risk of pursuing illegal means such as crime, prostitution and gambling as a means of generating income.
The BLAC hopes to mitigate this by providing at-risk youth with a hybrid job skills training program that involves hard skills workshops as well as soft skills workshops which incorporate Capoeira and connecting youth with sustainable employment opportunities and continuous career development.
Our first run of BLAC allowed youth to earn an extra USD2,100 on average. Bonus benefits included youth being able to get requisite government IDs and documentation, opening savings accounts and reporting improved overall mental health.
Our CommuniTalks program benefits youth and their families by providing free regular workshops open to the public in key areas including reproductive health, financial literacy, gender equality, human rights, mental health, the basics of starting a business, how to secure government documents and more.
Project PLAY (Promoting Learning & Achievement in Youth) uses play as a catalyst for learning and growth. By tapping into the Filipino love for sports, dance, music, and the arts, it engages underprivileged youth in fun, skill-building activities. Through these, participants grasp the powerful link between effort and achievement, seeing firsthand how hard work leads to success.
More than just play, Project PLAY teaches discipline, teamwork, and confidence in a supportive environment. The lessons learned translate to all areas of life, helping youth apply dedication both in and out of school, empowering them to pursue their goals with purpose and resilience.
BANTU Philippines works with an awesome team of partner organizations and donors that share its vision of a poverty-free Philippines for Filipino children.
