My Journey to Girls Got This: Resiliency in Action

"Dreams in Color," this is the tagline of an international non-government organization I am currently working in. It has been months since I became the project lead in Cebu Province working closely with children especially the teenage girls. For sometime, I felt giving up hearing different stories of poverty, dropping out of school, and abuses. Although there were constant debriefing and mind-setting, I know that there were moments that I questioned myself if I am capable to handle all the pressures.

Our Recipients' Background

Six hundred seventy-eight (678) adolescent girls and the numbers continuously increasing as I we continue to empower these young girls to become leaders of themselves and others, as well as to be self-aware and to never give up with their dreams. 

From the urban barangays of Cebu, Mandaue and Lapu-lapu City up to the mountain barangays of Adlaon, Sirao, Cambinocot, Taptap, and Guba even to the island barangay of Camotes, we found out these girls problem do not just reflect on their own but in their family. 

They are products and victims of abuse, early pregnancy, gender-based violence, and even early marriages. Issues such as single motherhood, sex tourism and trafficking, and lack of support from the government are that I listened to every session. In my line of work, I only reached the tip of the iceberg, and I am even far from reaching its base - its core problem. 

Situational Analysis

I had interviewed a total of 1500 children all around Cebu Province, and the painstaking reality is that I received the same results and answers from them. 

Among these children, 35.5% of them felt very worried about this pandemic. These children are pressured to help their family to earn a living as 1,420 of these teenagers are worried about their family's financial situation (75%). The real-time survey resulted to 41% of the children dropping out of school and even thinking to quit schooling because of the same scenario. They want to help their family to earn money besides, they opted to stop because no one from their family members could get their module in school. 

Sixty-five per cent (65%) of these children expressed that they are worried of their mental health and well-being while 40.3% said that because of the pandemic they lack physical exercise. We may think that these girls have access to the internet but 94% of these girls expressed that they do not have access to the internet at home or they do not own any cellphone (smartphone). 

From the survey results I have gathered, all  girls need more help to plan study days and creative good routines. The girls want to have more contact with teachers and their classmates in schools. They also believe to increase education and awareness initiative for COVID-19 prevention.

Further Help Needed!

It is more than 500 days since school was on lockdown beginning of March 16, 2020. We couldn't be sure how long these children are staying at home because of the pandemic, and some my even consider quitting school forever in exchange of getting a job. 

Gladly, there were some big international companies who are stepping in to aid us reach more girls. These companies and/or organizations such as the Australian Aid Embassy, Manny Pacquiao Foundation, and Linde Philippines willingly accepted our partnership as they believe in our vision and mission.

Further, JP Morgan & Chase, and Adidas also extended their support as they believe in our vision to help the highly vulnerable children in Cebu Province. 

(We are in communication with UNICEF and Dito Telecom for partnership, and we are crossing our fingers for a successful partnership with them). 

Not Giving Up. Girl Empowerment.

I am living my advocacy. With bravery, I am proud that I am able to spend most of my time with children whose present experiences reflected my past. I was a victim of abuse, and I suffered a terrible trauma. The Pink Room then wasn't new to me. I had attended Psychological Evaluation and First Aid in the first place. 

While that horror in the past was solely in the past, I vowed to myself to save more women and children who are also suffering. Children who are voiceless and filled with fear. 

So then, my project is a reflection of the woman who I become - strong, independent, and empowered. I vow to mold these girls to be resilient in the harsh reality of the world. 

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