Bayanihan Builds A Daycare Center

by Team 20

(An ounce of sacrifice, a sweat of hardship, a story of solidarity)

Being in an isolated place is really a hard thing. Though we can say that living there would give us fresh air and healthy life style, it is inevitable to experience hardships since it is far from the town where the center of trade is located. Being in a barrio would entail you to experience lack of some things especially in terms of facilities for education. This is what we saw at Brgy. Durog Day Care Center, a twenty-minute ride from the town proper of Miagao.

Having lack of facilities for conducive learning makes it hard for the little kids to establish a strong foundation for education. While still young, it is important to train these kids well in order to condition their minds in facing harder challenges in the future. But how can they learn well if they are not comfortable in their place of learning?

Kids of Brgy. Durog Day Care Center are really motivated to do good in their studies only that their school lacks the needed facilities especially a conducive classroom for learning. Kids don’t even mind walking under the extreme heat of the sun just to reach their temporary classroom, the Brgy. Hall. The Day Care Center teacher decided to have her classes at Brgy. Hall because of the fact that their roofs are leaking during rainy days and their pathway are muddy.

Seeing their situation, we have decided to help the center not only to establish a good classroom but at the same time helping the children to have a better foundation. Having them as our beneficiaries made us realize many things, that we can help them in our own little ways, that we are capable of establishing unity and cooperation among ourselves just to help them and most of all, we became more responsible in the different assignments and tasks given to us.

We had different fund raising activities aiming to raise money and at the same time aiming to strengthen the bond between us, the BUTLAK members. As time went fast, we realize that our vision will be possible with just cooperation among team members. And with frequent site visitations, we became close to the children and with other residents of Brgy. Durog. Seeing their smiles every site visit makes it very heartwarming on our part, making us even strive harder to have our vision come true.

It was the 8th day of March and the sun was high when the “Dagyaw” (Bayanihan) happened. Many parents and concerned residents helped out in the said activity. Many cooperated; ladies were assigned to prepare foods for the gentlemen, who were the one responsible for the refurbishment of the Day Care Center. Everyone was busy helping each other. At noontime, everyone gathered together for a prepared lunch. You can see in everyone’s eyes that they are very happy in helping out and also eating lunch of “monggo with langka and baboy” and free softdrinks. And at 4 pm, the work was on its way to be finished. The remaining work will be done by the assigned carpenters.

This project really taught us that nothing is impossible with helping hands and a willing heart.