Ruth is a full-time writer. Foodie. Happy camper. Wanders a lot. Used to have the worst taste in men. A reformed swipe-a-holic. Reviving her blog after its death.
Thursday, March 05, 2009
Dear everyone,
The Inquirer Read-Along will have a reading session at the Brgy. Bayan-Bayanan, Dinalupihan, Bataan for the 100 Aeta kids of the Ambal tribe on March 13, 2009, Friday.
These kids are probably some of the most persevering students that you will ever know. Before a women’s group built a dormitory for them this year, they would walk on foot from the mountain for a couple of hours to reach their school and another two to get home. They couldn’t go to school during the rainy season because the streams would be too treacherous to cross.
Nature is not the only thing that they have to overcome. Prejudice against them is most common inside the classroom. They are made to feel bad about themselves just because they are shorter, darker, and have curlier hair. Some of them even stopped their schooling altogether because their classmates would physically hurt them.
It would take them months, years even, before they conquer their fear of the “unat” (straight-haired people). It would surprise you that at the age of 8, some of them are still in kindergarten.
These kids live humbly. They are most thankful for a plateful of rice, water, and salt for a meal. They make their own toy guns out of bamboo sticks and paper. Yet, not one single complaint will be heard from their lips.
They are joyful and they laugh a lot. Play the guitar and they will dance for you. They will do it proudly and happily. They give so much importance to education because they really believe it’s their way out of poverty.
The team will bring them coloring books and crayons but we are encouraging everyone to touch their lives and give them hope through simple gifts. It could be old or new clothes for kids, toys, books and hygiene products such as soaps, toothbrush and toothpaste.
All donations can be dropped off at the Children’s Library of the Philippine Daily Inquirer at 1098 Chino Roces Avenue, Makati City until March 12, 2009, call 897-8808 loc. 329 and look for Ellen Caparos.
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