because "learning is essential"

The North Cemetery is one of the public cemeteries here in Manila where there are communities living inside the area.  It is prohibited to live in mausoleums and to build a house inside the cemetery but as I see it, the government (and the informal settlers) haven't done anything about it as of now.

*photos from ATD facebook page

This is the first of (All Together in Dignity – Fourth World) ATD's  “Marunong na Ako” series of activities for the street children in the area.  This activity is also being conducted in other areas in Pandacan. 

The first activity was the “street library” wherein we brought out different kinds of children’s books (English and Tagalog) for the children to read.  Just when you thought kids don’t like books anymore – they were excited to see what books we have brought them.  The kids who came in the area were of different ages, so some of them were too young to go to school and could not read yet.  And so we also had the chance to read on to them.  It was fun, as usual; I asked the kids who were listening to me about their daily lives in the Cemetery and their living conditions.  And I realized that no matter how hard it is living the way they do, they still have this big drive to learn and to continue studying.  And despite the hardships, they still manage to put out those big smiles on their faces.  Priceless as ever.  They really appreciate the things we have brought for them.  

After the book reading / storytelling was another activity wherein the kids were given tasks to make them realize the things that they could do, the things that they want to do, and the things that they want to learn.  This makes the kids realize that small steps and wanting to do little improvements is just as important as the big ones.

Again, it was a fun-filled experience, I get to meet such cool kids, I get to bring out the child in me, and I somehow give out encouragement to them to keep on striving and to not lose hope (again with my silly dream of inspiring. sorry hahaha). 

I hope to visit them again soon.  

And oh, by the way - the best part? The kids kept calling me “teacher” and “ma’am”; binuhay nila ang mumunting pangarap ko na maging guro. Yay =)

Thank you to the guys of ATD: Guy, Anne, Suzy and Patricia for having me that day. =)

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famous last words:

"We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give."