Youth participants of the Tzu Chi Youth Camp 2025 took part in a hands-on project planning session on July 12, 2025, at the Carmelite Learning Center in Tontonan, Loon, Bohol. The activity, led by Brother Rey Peñalosa, Tzu Chi commissioner from Manila, aimed to equip campers with the knowledge and tools to transform their ideas into organized and impactful events.
Brother Rey opened the session with a discussion on the importance of project planning. He emphasized that careful preparation helps turn simple ideas into meaningful outcomes. Campers learned how planning enhances communication, supports proposal writing, clarifies goals, and facilitates the acquisition of necessary resources. Using a learning map, Brother Rey walked the group through the key steps of project creation from identifying objectives and target audiences to budgeting, promotions, logistics, and evaluation.
The lesson came to life through the Project Planning Worksheet, which each team used to design their event proposal. The energy in the covered court rose as campers brainstormed, collaborated, and shaped their ideas. Afterward, each team presented their plans to other groups and exchanged feedback, building confidence, creativity, and teamwork.
Campers like Charity Joy Roma, a Civil Engineering student from BISU Main, shared how planning requires patience and dedication. Her team’s proposed event, “Tzu Chi Youth Sportsfest and the Master Quiz,” merged sports with a quiz on Master Cheng Yen’s teachings, alongside “BasuRun,” a fun run and cleanup drive with a charity component.
Fellow camper Ylijah Shem Membreve, a student from Buenavista, Bohol, highlighted leadership and consistency as keys to success. His group’s event, “Skill Fair: Empower Your Future,” aimed to offer TESDA-certified training for real-life skills development.
By the end of the session, the youth gained more than new project ideas; they left with a deeper sense of purpose. With guidance, teamwork, and commitment, they learned that great things can start with a simple idea and grow into projects that make a lasting difference.
