Chronicles of Fulfilment: The Invisible Essence of Lending a Hand
What Halad to Health Missions Are Doing For Valencianos
For a poet, writing is a lifeblood.
For a businessman, to profit is a calling.
For a singer, to sing is a dream come true…
Everyone has interests to pursue, things that motivate them and a life to live.
For people who conduct medical missions, to help is enough of a motivation.
One may ask: Why do they do such missions? Why do they volunteer? What can they achieve from it? And now I can answer… it’s all for the essence of fulfilment through lending a hand to those who need it most.
I’m a Valenciana, who got to witness and experience just what exactly Halad to Health’s missions were doing for my community. I knew Halad to Health brought volunteers from Australia to come help teach health education, but it wasn’t until I saw this all in action, did I realize they truly made a difference.
First Stop — Learning About Local Health Issues
On the first stop, the team went to Maramag Provincial Hospital to learn and see what health issues we faced here in Bukidnon. They hopped from one department to another and from time to time provided assistance whenever their help was needed. It was a great experience since they were thrown into the reality that over 10% of all the mothers giving birth at the hospital were teenage girls aged 16 or under. This was the first time they realized teenage pregnancy was a real issue here.
Despite the commendable effort of the hospital to provide good-quality healthcare, it was still under-resourced. This made the team of Australian students realize how resourceful doctors and nurses here were and they left with high regards over the Maramag Provincial Hospital’s dedication to cater all of their patients’ medical needs.
Second Stop — Teaching Back Local Health Issues
After gaining some insight into the prominent health issues across Bukidnon, the second stop of the team was Central Mindanao University Laboratory High School. The team conducted lectures for the grade 11 and grade 12 students about Adolescent Reproductive Health and the Risks of Teenage Pregnancy. In Bukidnon, there is a rapidly rising number of teenagers struggling from unwanted pregnancies, which proved the need for intervention, hence they ran an education campaign.
The discussion was incredibly engaging and most of all — fun! CMULHS students were performed a role-play to make the topic more understandable and relatable. These CMULHS students were extremely driven and participative in every assigned task making the first wave of health education lectures a huge success.
Furthermore, the discussion was made more engaging as a group of CMULHS student leaders helped the Australian volunteers deliver their lectures. Collectively, they gave a thorough discussion while maintaining a casual and interactive atmosphere for everyone to feel comfortable.
Third Stop — Teaching More
The third stop of the team was Valencia National High School, a public secondary educational institution in Valencia City, with a student population of over 9,000 students! The large number and diversity of students made it the most suitable center for Halad to Health’s health education campaign. In this mission, the Australian volunteers made a partnership with the student leaders alongside the guidance office to co-run these lectures.
The lectures started in the morning, teaching Grade 7 students. The topic was still all about Adolescent Reproductive Health and Teenage Pregnancy, as this was a real problem for teens as young as 11!
The disproportionate lecturer-student ratio plus the struggle to create a connection to these rowdy students posed an initial challenge to the volunteers. But, the eagerness of each volunteer outweighed the predicaments. Each of them devised varying teaching styles and techniques to capture the attention and interests of the students.
The full day of lectures continued in the afternoon with teaching Grade 8 students. The volunteers grew more confident and passionate as they already unveiled how to effectively manage and capture the students’ interests. Just like what happened in CMULHS, the VNHS students grew participative in all the given activities. The team was overwhelmed with the smiles and laughter of the students.
However, the fun was cut short after the team encountered devastating news. After the previous cohort conducted a health education campaign about Mental Health and Depression for VNHS Grade 11 and 12 student just two weeks prior, a Grade 8 student had unfortunately committed suicide…
It was heartbreaking as well as eye-opening to everyone. The news implied how crippling and dangerous depression really was. Instead of losing motivation, the team felt an urgency to run another Mental Health lecture.
Eliza Li, Halad to Health’s Co-Founder, was the one who sensitively and profoundly discussed depression to the students, highlighting the fact that the Philippines is one the countries with the highest rates of teen suicide due to depression. The team’s goal was that by the end of the lecture, each student would be equipped with the knowledge of:
1. Why depression occurs?
2. How suicide from depression can always be prevented?
3. How each student can best deal with stress?
The lecture in VNHS went undeniably productive and successful. The volunteers efficiently and effectively pulled-off a win-win situation where they accomplished their mission, whilst the students learned and enjoyed.
And…That’s A Wrap!
After the series of long, tiresome teaching days, the Australian volunteers decided to unwind and celebrate their triumph. The team explored some of the beautiful spots of Valencia City, Bukidnon and savoured the victorious experience while enjoying each other’s company.
What I Now Understand Able Making A Difference
They say when you love what you do, you don’t feel tired at all no matter how physically exhausting it is… and the Australian volunteers can all proudly attest to this. The mission was more than just something to be accomplished for them, it was an advocacy they devout their love and belief in.
These people volunteer their time and immense effort for the very reason of extending help and to make a positive change.
At the end of the day, the volunteers all realised that what The Little Prince said was true, that “what is essential is invisible”.
The problems they encountered, the challenges they faced, and the exhaustion the entire team felt is nothing compared to the essence of fulfilment they all gain from the smiles, the laughter, the genuine gratitude and the sense of satisfaction from those Valencianos in need, whom they lent their hands to.
Ultimately, what they gained might be invisible to their eyes… but it is certainly felt and will be indelibly cherished by everyone, whose lives they’ve touched here.
Joana Krizzia
I am Joana, a Valenciana and I joined the Halad to Health volunteers because I knew this platform would really help me grow as a person and it would serve as a medium in my journey of learning new things. I am truly grateful for this experience.
Volunteering is the willingness to render service without expecting a consideration in return. While it is true that volunteering definitely demands a lot of time and effort, it is also true that it gives us an opportunity to meet and be acquainted with new people while serving, and brings people together to work on a goal. If we share and sacrifice our time as volunteers, we give hope to those who need more whilst also encouraging them to spread kindness to others also. And this, truly, is something that money, however great the value may be, cannot buy.
