Building Community through Stories: AGFI Conducts Mabisang Pagkukuwento Workshop for Community Volunteers

Last March 14, 2026, Adarna Group Foundation Inc. (AGFI) conducted a Mabisang Pagkukuwento (Effective Storytelling) workshop for the volunteers of Our Lady of Pentecost Parish. Initially part of AGFI’s Eager Reader Fam Day initiative, an event for parents and children to bond over books and activities, the workshop soon revealed a greater purpose. What began as a family activity evolved into a community-driven effort, as participating volunteers prepare to lead a storytelling event for children in Quezon City.

AGFI recognizes that storytelling binds families and communities by creating shared spaces for learning and connection. Through its Eager Reader initiatives, AGFI promotes reading as a shared community experience. While the organization envisions a future where every Filipino child is a reader, it also emphasizes that lasting change happens through sustained community involvement. By equipping community volunteers with storytelling skills, AGFI helps bring stories closer to children and their families.

During the Mabisang Pagkukuwento workshop led by Teacher Ysra Blas, volunteers learned practical techniques on how to make storytelling engaging and meaningful. The session covered what storytellers can do before, during, and after storytelling, including the use of voice modulation and creating motivation questions to encourage children’s participation. Teacher Ysra also emphasized the importance of managing the environment by building routines and regulating children’s energy, especially when telling stories in different settings. 

Initiatives like this demonstrate how communities can support children’s development through simple yet meaningful actions. As the session unfolded, the workshop itself became a form of “family day” with a broader meaning. It extended the idea of family beyond households, embracing the community as a collective space of shared responsibility for children’s growth and development. Through their time and dedication, they embodied the spirit of volunteerism, transforming storytelling into an act of service.

Beyond the workshop, these efforts create ripple effects in the community. Children who experience engaging storytelling often develop stronger language skills, while parents and volunteers become more active participants in nurturing learning. Through this, AGFI, alongside the volunteers, shares a strong commitment to make every Filipino child a reader.

Want to be involved in these initiatives? Join AGFI in bringing stories to more communities by volunteering, partnering, or supporting AGFI’s early literacy programs.