Rules and Behavior Agreement
ALWAYS REMEMBER THE CORE OBJECTIVE OF GAWAD KALINGA : ENDING POVERTY
Restore the dignity of people hurt by poverty, by providing them with security and
opportunities while developing their confidence and skills.
THEIR NEEDS ARE A PRIORITY OVER OUR NEEDS
1. Mindset :
Gawad Kalinga has been growing at a very fast pace, thanks to its culture of hard-work
and sacrifice embodied by the millions of GK volunteers, that are moved by the deep
love of their people and of the Philippines.
 You should be ready to think about others before yourself and commit to give your
best for the least, the last and the lost.
Gawad Kalinga Enchanted Farm is a big prototype of what is designed as a movement
for change in our society.
Prototype meaning we are all here to experiment, learn from one another and from our
mistakes, improve, adjust, and carry on.
People working in the Enchanted Farm and in the GK villages have been here from the
start, they have experimented several ways of organization and usually know why
things work some way or the other.
 You should always respect the organization procedure of the Enchanted Farm tem
and the GK coordinators, even if you do not understand it. You are, however, very
welcome to ask questions (and we encourage you to ask a lot of questions) and
offer solutions to improve the systems and processes in the Enchanted Farm.
 You should keep an open mind, observe, be ready to learn, ask questions, try to
understand,etc.
2. Community Rules:
Gawad Kalinga is about community and capacity building. Its model has been proven
very efficient (2,000 communities in 10 years) and innovative (awarded several times by
the most prestigious organizations : Skoll Award, etc.)
This model is about taking care of the most vulnerable people by :
• Providing them a safe and stable environment (land – house – food);
• Getting them out of the slum mentality, empowering them so that they get the
confidence to engage other people (restore human dignity);
• Giving them the skills and opportunities they need to live a sustainable life.
You must understand that your example and way of living have a great impact on the
communities. As a consequence, you must respect carefully the following rules :
 Do not drink – smoke – gamble.
Especially in front of the kids.
Even if the community members invite you to have a drink or a cigarette in their home.
These habits are forbidden for the community members for several reasons :
• Most of the time, they cannot afford it. It would be inappropriate to encourage
them to buy alcohol instead of saving money for their family and kids;
• It’s a matter of character building : the community members don’t have the
same drinking culture as we have. For them drinking is not a way of having a
good time with friends. It is an addiction used as a way of forgetting issues
instead of finding a solution.
Celebrations and parties, with or without the community, are allowed as long as they
are planned and take place in a specific area.
 Respect the curfew :
As safe as the areas you will be sent to, Gawad Kalinga cannot control the
environment at night and ensure your safety outside of the community.
You must understand that Gawad Kalinga is being built on deep reputation of
trustworthiness and integrity. Anything that could happen to you could deeply hurt and
destroy ten years of hard work to build and deserve this trust.
 Shower eveyday and wear clean clothes.
The climate is different here in the Philippines. People easily perspire and be careful of
wearing the same perspired shirt.
 Wear a proper outfit.
Girls : No deep decolletage, no mini-short or mini-skirt, always wear a bra.
Boys : Don’t go around shirtless, or in underpants. Always wear an underwear.
Take care of the cleanliness of your environment.
3. Relationships :
Gawad Kalinga is about building relationships. You are invited to make the poor your
family and care for them as such. Gawad Kalinga encourages you to bond and share
with the communities.
But you should always remember you are dealing with vulnerable people with a
different way of thinking than yours, still processing how to live together as a
community.
 You should be extra careful about the cultural differences.
Attentions, kisses and physical contacts you would find innocent
misunderstood. And gossip can run very fast.
Besides, private relationships between interns and villagers are not welcome.
can
be
We want all relationships to be free from money concerns, and we do not want the
community to see you as potential money providers. For this reason, any money
transaction should be kept on a community level and should not go to a person to
person level.
 You should go through the Enchanted Farm team or the caretaker for all money
transactions (gifts, laundry, etc.)
4. Fees :
The Gawad Kalinga internship program is, before everything else, an opportunity
offered to young students to experiment the GK way of ending poverty and to share
the life of a social entrepreneur.
Gawad Kalinga sees it as a chance to bridge cultures and eventually bridge
relationships and economies.
IT IS NOT a way of getting free manpower or a way of making money. It actually
demands extra-work for the local team to manage the interns.
By signing this agreement, you understand and accept the following fees :
•
•
Fixed fee : 250€, payable to GK Europe and eligible to tax deduction.
Coordination – Airport pick-up – GK tour (excl. lunch)
Daily expenses in the Enchanted Farm : NOT INCLUDED IN THE 250€ FEE.
Meals : 75 PHP a meal
Participation for water and electricity : 40 PHP (accomodation offered by EF)
•
•
Daily expenses in your GK village : Payable in advance on a weekly basis
All GK village have the same package of 350P/day, but the breakdown can
change according to the local food rates.
It includes meals, water and electricity. It DOES NOT include transportation.
Transportation : To use the farm vehicle for personal use, you will be asked to pay
for the gas. In your GK village, you will be asked to pay for your own
transportation.
5. Internship mission :
Being an intern in Gawad Kalinga, you are part of a multi-faceted movement. As such
you should commit to :
 Get actively involved in the life and work of the community (farming, kid activities,
etc.) and not just your specific mission.
 Get involved when it comes to spreading the vision and help the movement grow
(welcoming visitors, sharing, representing the interest of European students for the
Philippines and its opportunities).
Work closely with your social entrepreneur.
6.Days-off – Holidays:
You will work from Monday to Friday and can be asked to be available on week-ends
(events).
Every two months you get 1 week of vacation you can use to leave the country to
renew your visa (immigration policy, you have to leave the country every 59 days).
 You should always plan your vacations and inform your family and your caretaker
about the dates and locations of your trip at least one week in advance.
 You can get 7 to 10 days of vacations after your internship.
When visiting the Philippines, if you want to travel through GK villages, you should :
 Go through the GK French coordinator (Clarisse Simonneau) to inform the local GK
coordinators.
 Pay for your accomodation & meals as a usual tourist.
The community members will probably want to invite you as you are GK volunteers.
Please REFUSE. It’s only fair to pay for your lodgings & food. And you get a less
expensive rate than the hotel you would have had to pay.
 Remember it helps them improve their economic condition. Do not take advantage
of their kindness to save a few pesos.
7. Commitment
By signing this agreement,
 You acknowledge your understanding and acceptance of the above.
You commit to abide by the following guiding principles :
INTEGRITY drives EXCELLENCE
STEWARDSHIP drives PRODUCTIVITY
SOLIDARITY drives TEAMWORK
SACRIFICE drives COMMITMENT
SERVANTHOOD drives LEADERSHIP
Date and place of signature :
Name and Signature :
YOU REPRESENT GAWAD KALINGA. CARRY ITS VALUES !
APPENDIX 1 : YOUR INTERNSHIP IN A NUTSHELL
WE ARE BUILDING THE COMMUNITY FROM THE GROUND UP
At the core of GK Enchanted Farm’s accomplishments is its show & tell philosophy –
build and they will come.
When the team commenced the Enchanted Farm, there was a scarcity of resources, a
small following of supporters, and a lot of idle land to work with ‐ there was only a clear
vision of building a sustainable community that would create wealth for those at the
bottom of the pyramid.
What sets this approach apart from conventional projects is that it maximizes resources
in a scarce environment and builds partnerships and connectivity, which in turn opens
the doors for more resources and expertise.
THE GK EXPERIENCE IS A HUMAN EXPERIENCE
What makes the GK experience so unique is its behavioral approach to address social
problems focusing on: values, principles, and the human person.
You will experience real learning experiences because the values are so strongly
emphasized.
HAVING A PROACTIVE MINDSET
When engaging communities and people at the BOP (base of the pyramid) you
encounter a wealth of problems.
The main idea to sustainably addressing these problems is having a local approach but
having a global mindset, looking at problems that can be solved now with available
resources rather than being paralyzed by the enormity of it all.
The key then is to manage one’s own frustrations while being able to still positively and
proactively looking for solutions.
A NEW KIND OF INTERNSHIP. INTERNSHIP DONE THE GK WAY
Every country has its own political and social evolution in history, which has shaped
them to be the developed or underdeveloped country that they are, right now.
As Europe has gone through centuries of evolution and revolution to learn from
mistakes and develop its economies and people, all foreign interns should realize that
the Philippines is a very young country – independence from Spanish rule in 1898 (115
years from this year); formal independence from American rule in 1946 (barely 60+
years old!).
The Philippines has a lot of catching up to do. A lot of public and private infrastructure
programs are not yet in place, or poorly built. 400 years of Spanish rule and 40+ years of
American Hollywood-style culture has turned us into the most confused country in the
world. Millions of hectares of land are still unproductive and underdeveloped.
We are setting up the internship program so that we can learn together. Foreign interns
are not here to solve all the problems of the Philippines in their short stay here. Honestly,
nobody has been able to do that. And we don’t expect you to do just that. You are
here to learn together with us and to jointly look for long-term solutions to end poverty
and create sustainable partnerships to END sustainable poverty. The Philippines does
not need Western solutions and economic systems that are currently causing one of the
worst recessions in the USA and one of the longest debt crisis in Europe. You are here to
learn why the poor remain as such, in spite of the rapid rise in wealth of countries and
availability of the most advanced technologies the world has ever experienced.
If ever there is one simple decision that you need to make, it will have to be that of
having an open mind and a listening heart to learn from the poorest of the poor -learning from the ground, learning from the heart and not just talking about business
theories, learning from each other as friends.
APPENDIX 2 : GAWAD KALINGA VALUES AND GUIDING PRINCIPLES
Our goal is for each of us, volunteers of Team GK, to express and concretely live out
these values in order to mainstream a culture of “Caring & Sharing” that will be
powerful enough to end poverty.
WHAT INTEGRITY DRIVES EXCELLENCE IMPLIES :
 HARD-WORK: Strive to build a culture of integrity & hard work, always giving the
best for the least.
 QUALITY: Raise our personal standard for performance and increase the quality
of our work.
 HEROISM: Believe that we were born for greatness not for ourself – but for others.
We need millions of everyday heroes who will give their lives for our country and
our countrymen.
GK CREDO :
“My passion for the mission requires that I demand more from myself, giving the best for
the least. What I strive for myself and for my loved ones, I must strive equally for the poor
so that no one is left behind. When faced with difficult choices, I will uphold what is best
for many rather than stand to gain for myself.”
Gawad Kalinga believes in bringing out the innate greatness in everyone by giving only
the best for the least. Through the years, we have seen our rag-tag army of heroes
achieve what many said could not be done. We have ended poverty, first in our hearts
and minds, and in every slum that we have transformed into peaceful and productive
communities.
WHAT STEWARDSHIP DRIVES PRODUCTIVITY IMPLIES :
 RESPONSABILITY : We take responsibility for everything around us. We nurture all
towards their full potential – leaving no one behind.
GK CREDO :
“Fueled by an innate sense of responsibility and a deep call to care for my people and
my country I will work hard to restore, rebuild and regain what has been neglected for
generations. It is in our persistent presence that we will heal the broken and make them
productive. What once was barren land will be abundant.”
We all have the responsibility to care, nurture and grow what has been given to us — in
ourselves, in people and in resources around us.
WHAT SOLIDARITY DRIVES TEAMWORK IMPLIES :
 BAYANIHAN (mutual help): Channel the inspiring Filipino culture of working
together towards the massive problem of poverty. This means building an
inclusive & empowering environment where everyone can take part in nation
building.
 HONORING the GOOD in others: Start out everyday by seeing, engaging and
building up the good in each other.
 RELATIONSHIPS: Build stronger and better relationships.
 COLLECTIVE IDENTITY: Build and protect collective identify of “Team GK” at all
times.
GK CREDO :
“I hold myself responsible and accountable for the work entrusted to me. Amidst the
personal battles on the ground I am sure to face, I train my eyes on the vision, keeping
in mind that my actions should always be for the greater good. Being part of one Team
GK means we watch each other’s backs.”
To bring alive true solidarity we must harness the best in everyone as well as inspire more
to join us — without discrimination. It demands us to strive to work together, not only
finding common ground but instead seeking the high ground where we rise above self
and situation. It is only in moving as one Team GK that peace and ending poverty
become possible.
WHAT SACRIFICE DRIVES COMMITMENT IMPLIES :
 PADUGO : literally means “to bleed”. Open our hearts, our minds and our hands
to give not only out of our excess but out of love.
 GO THE EXTRA MILE: Love and serve others even if it is difficult – Sacrifice personal
time and resources for the mission.
 PUT THE NEEDS OF OTHERS BEFORE MY OWN
GK CREDO :
“Inspired by the heroism of those around me, I will share what I have so more can
benefit. To honor the sacrifice of many, my personal dreams will take the backseat as I
steer towards the bigger dream of my people. I will not be beaten down by challenges
nor be hampered by limitations.”
It was never about the money. What was first laid down at the feet of the poor have
always been the people themselves — people and their dreams for themselves, people
and their hopes for their own families, people and their personal ambitions, people and
their promise of bright futures — all abandoned in service of the poor.
WHAT SERVANTHOOD DRIVES LEADERSHIP IMPLIES :
 SERVANT LEADERSHIP: Live a life of service for God, country and fellowmen.
 ACCOUNTABILITY: Take initiative regardless of position or title. Accept
accountability for both personal and team deliverables. Feel responsible for the
team.
 HUMILITY
GK CREDO :
“Our country needs to build a new brand of leadership — one that instills a posture to
serve rather than be served. I will recognize and unlock the potential for greatness of
everyone around me, building a culture of empowerment, not entitlement.”
Our caretakers and Kapitbahayan leaders win over the poor through presence not
preaching and they change habits by upholding relationships not rules. When most
people raise their voices to be heard, our teams lower theirs to listen.
Leadership in GK has always been less about the power to lead than it is about the
passion to serve. It is this missionary spirit that brings people to offer the best of
themselves not to rise through the ranks but to plant themselves among the poor... for
the poor.
Ultimately, the greatest inspiration of servant leadership comes from the least among
us. We are proud of the many who have overlooked their own state of poverty and
realized that they equally have much to give for community and country.