Ian Gives Care - "Gawad Kalinga" Taken from Ian's work newsletter
By IAN IGLESIA
On January 18, 2009, 53 Australian volunteers put their hand up
to help build homes and communities for the poor in the small
island of Palawan in the Philippines. I was very fortunate to be
a part of this group and this amazing and rewarding cause
called Gawad Kalinga. Gawad Kalinga (GK) translated in
English means "to give care". It was formed in 1995 as an
alternative solution to the blatant problem of poverty not just in
the Philippines but in the world. GK is a project specifically
designed to restore dignity to the poorest of the poor through
housing, education, and livelihood programs.
The two weeks I spent in Palawan were one of the best two
weeks of my life. On our arrival to the village, we were happily
greeted by the GK beneficiaries as they welcomed us like we
were part of their family. Over the next few days we shared our
stories, our struggles and our joys and we bonded with each
other, especially with the children. We learnt how to dance in
their traditional way and in return, we showed them how to
play one of our country’s favourite sports. Cricket! During the
build, they were many challenges we had to endure. The
toughest task was digging two, 6ft deep septic tanks through
solid clay under the extremely hot, tropical sun of the Philippines.
But driven with enthusiasm and hope we had for each other,
we dug, painted and mixed through the sweltering conditions
to build a colourful duplex home. The houses are no bigger
than your average dining room and would be enough to
accommodate two families, but to the beneficiaries of these
houses it's a dream come true. Despite having very little and
witnessing their homes (mere shanties) burn down in a large fire
five years ago, these families taught us all the value of life, of
family and of hope. It's incredible what you'll learn and discover
when you actually put yourselves in the shoes of these people
and to see the world through the eyes of a child raised beside
a garbage tip.
My first GK experience is something I will never forget. It’s not
only a chance to build homes, but a chance to build
relationships, build new friendships, communities and create
a greater understanding of the world outside of our own.
