A Dream so Close, Yet so Far
August 31 2022

A Dream so Close, Yet so Far

“You cannot take a lot of things from SOS once you leave the program except education, so treasure it as much as you can.”

Every child who lived in and left SOS Children’s Villages Philippines have been told this by their mothers and mentors. Finishing your studies opens up possibilities for a brighter future, cliché as it sounds. 

Mayang is one of many children who forged their future with the education they have. Her education helped her create and realize a deep-seated dream in her youth. With everything she learned and worked hard for, she wanted to share the blessing and support SOS had given her. 

Turning the First Page 

Mayang and her family lived in a small home behind a public school. Despite their location, she couldn't study due to poverty. On school days, she'd peek through classroom windows, dreaming of her turn to learn. She would listen to the teacher teaching the students about letters and numbers. It was Mayang’s only way of learning. 

One day, a teacher noticed young Mayang peeking from the window and invited her to sit in. It was her first experience of being in a classroom, sitting and learning with other kids her age and listening to the teacher.

“I sat down and listened. Obviously, I did not understand anything but I was still fascinated. Children my age were sitting down, listening to this teacher, singing and reading the alphabet...things like that.” 

That day, after school, she went home, picked up a twig and started writing letters on the ground while her brother watched.  That was the moment she realized that she wanted to learn like other kids do, that education matters. 

Years later, she became part of the village, and Mayang finally had the chance to study. She learned basic reading and writing around the 1st grade, and became proficient in it along with learning English in 3rd grade.

“I also remember the first time I was able to read. It was beautiful. I was able to access a level of understanding I didn’t have before.”

She remembered how her classmates would also help and teach her to read after class, and what it felt like to be able to read for the first time. For her, what made reading magical is being able to learn about cultures, to be able to travel through stories. 

Education gave her life and a sense of happiness, and awakened a hunger for learning. She later carried forward the significant impact it had on her life. 

 

The International Dream 

As she went through life persevering in her education, Mayang saw many children like her that experienced poverty, and she wanted to pay forward the support she got from the people around her. 

An opportunity opened up to her one day, a chance to study overseas. SOS Children's Villages Philippines once held the SOS National Youth Congress in Davao in 2010. There, she met a care leaver who attained an International Baccalaureate scholarship named Alan Arabe, the first youth from SOS who attained that scholarship. He graduated from Li Po Chun United World College (UWC) in Hong Kong

Meeting him paved the way for Mayang to her dream as she realized that an opportunity of studying abroad is possible for her. Passing the IB scholarship program will allow her to study in any university in either the United States or the United Kingdom. 

Mayang knew it wouldn’t be an easy road, but she had the support of their village director they affectionately call “Daddy Bem”, of her family, and of her mentors. Amidst all the challenges she faced, she persevered. With the support given to her by the adults in the community, along with her hard work and ambition, she passed high school with several awards.  

She graduated as one of the top students of her class, and she received the Gerry Roxas Leadership Award, a prestigious leadership award for high school students in the country, for serving the entire student body as their Student Council President. 

 (from left) Maria Celes Abragan with her fellow graduates and teachers at Li Po Chun 

On top of all of her accomplishments in high school as she passed with flying colors, she finally achieved her greatest goal at that time: passing the screening for the International Baccalaureate scholarship program, and getting the chance to study in the UWC in Hong Kong. 

Travelling to an entirely different place to study can be shocking and fascinating. For Mayang who lived alone in Hong Kong at the time, she eventually learned to adapt to the people and the culture after the first few months. Her flexibility and pleasant personality helped her thrive in a new environment.  

She put in double the effort in achieving her dreams in high school, and she put even more when she studied in Hong Kong. Mayang studied hard, joined clubs to hone her talents and skills, and made many friends. In short, she was an active student. She graduated last 2014, received the Best Arts Student Award, and moved on to pursue a dual degree in Geography and Environmental Studies in Vermont, USA.

 

It Starts with a Small Step  

Mayang saw that she was one of many children in their village that have experienced trauma and mental health concerns brought about by neglect and abandonment. When she was younger, that knowledge inspired her originally to be a psychiatrist.

However, her experience in Hong Kong introduced her to the topic of environmental conservation, and Vermont’s solid environmental science programs bolstered her awareness on the topic. Her studies there set her on the path to working in environmental protection, and becoming an environmentalist and a professional in international development. 

After she graduated in 2019, Mayang worked in the development sector in Washington, DC, specifically in environment and conservation for the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). She aided in improving the Agency’s biodiversity programming by building the capacity of USAID staff and implementing partners to do adaptive management and evidence-based programming. She returned to the Philippines this year but she still retains her field and scope of work. 

Throughout her work, Mayang has seen and realized how privilege affects the impact of climate change on everyone. People don’t really think of climate change and environmental degradation immediately as some of many bigger problems that our children and youth face. But in her line of work, they always have to consider in their projects who will be most affected. 

“It’s a problem for everyone, but the impact for everyone is different. The most privileged can adapt and survive, but the poorest cannot.”

Not only are the poor the most vulnerable, but children and youth are also highly vulnerable because they will live in the world shaped by the previous generations. 

Environmental awareness can be low to none in many people from vulnerable sectors. Mayang observed that in their village, the majority of children and youth are not quite aware of climate change and environmental issues.  

“One of the things I noticed is that they don’t know anything about the environment. They don't even know why climate change is happening, and I was struck by that. So, there is really a lack of understanding. I took it as a challenge for me to educate them about these things.” 

Since returning to the Philippines and to their village, Mayang started her efforts of raising awareness on climate change, environment, and conservation issues in their village. One of the first concerns she raised and aimed to teach about was recycling as it was an immediate concern. Though a small step, something tangible and doable is a good start to caring for the environment.

One day, she hopes that their village will become a “green village”, and that they will be able to apply what they learned and will learn from her. “Taking care of the environment is also taking care of themselves and taking care of society”. 

Mayang is the first person in their village to pursue a career in environmental conservation. Not only does she aim to raise environmental awareness among the youth in their village, but she also wants to inspire them to take a career in development work like she did. After all, children imitate the people who inspire them. 

 

Look Back to Move Forward 

“A lot of young people need support in their life and I want to give them that.”

The family she lived with in SOS Children’s Villages never left her when she needed their help, especially when it came to her education. Mayang was able to study and achieve what she has now because of the help she received and the people who helped her.

Now, she wants to and is slowly giving back to her community by inspiring the youth and doing her part to take care of the environment at the same time. 

 “Without your help, I would not be where I am today. I may not personally know you, but just know that my success and what I am now is because of you.” - Mayang

Before everything she has achieved, Mayang is but a humble girl with a passion for learning and for her advocacy who wanted to share her blessings with the children and youth in SOS. She was supported during her childhood by the people in their village, and she wanted to support children the way she was supported. 

“I felt supported growing up. Everything I do, they were behind me, and I want to be that kind of person to the young people and children now.” 

There are still many children and youth who live in the cycle of poverty like Mayang and her family once was. Poverty separated her and her brother for two years, and poverty led to their mother abandoning them. One of many reasons Mayang was inspired to work in international development and environmental conservation was because her story, the stories of the children in the villages, are just like those of many more people just like her who lived in poverty. 

The children who lived in SOS and left live a better life now because of the people who helped. Those who intervened, from the mothers, the staff, to the donors and sponsors who tirelessly support the cause; all of those people and efforts helped break the cycle of poverty for children in need, for people like Mayang. 

You too can help break the cycle of poverty for our children and youth, and give them a brighter future. Visit sosphilippines.org/donate-(1)

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