Witnessing the fragments of humanity unfold right before your eyes could be a rarity. Weeks ago, I was able to experience it again through AMBIT notebooks distribution and I couldn’t help but cry in silence. I was very lucky to see this rarity of a moment; the scenes were crossovers of visions and dreams materializing in the real world. What the volunteers and I saw were things that could not be seen among the four walls of each individual’s personal luxury.
Before I became a volunteer, I was asked by my friend, Red, who was one of the project organizers, to donate some notebooks for the kids of far flung barangays in Hinoba-an, Negros Occidental. Since I was a very supportive friend, I never had second thoughts and intuitively said yes. As she continued her campaign, I saw the need to help her spread the word. I was touched by her burning voluntarism, unwavering passion and solid dedication towards the campaign. Hence, I also started my own campaign to collect more notebooks through my social media. Like my dear friend Red, I was also personally overwhelmed by the support given by my Facebook friends. Thanks to the internet technology; it was easier to campaign and reach people with kind hearts. By the end of the campaign, all the volunteers collectively gathered numerous pledges for the 10,000 notebooks we were aiming to achieve.
If you come to think of it, the children’s future was like the pages of the notebooks that were given out. The children were empty handed at first and you decided to give them the pages that they need for their future. You provided them with a space to write on. Through your efforts, you were able to help them write the first few pages of what lies ahead of them. Sooner, you would be witnessing them write their own story, hopefully a story of success.
Sometimes, I was wondering how many leaves of notebooks the kids need for the composition of their dreams. I don’t know the exact number of pages, but I was certain it would be many; I was certain that trees would be taken down, sacrificed, and processed to come up with smooth sheets of paper apt for them to write on. You and I, we were giving them the tickets for their future—tickets to get out from poverty. They needed instruments, and it was us.
Sometimes, you and I were both bettors and investors—a bettor because we were uncertain of the odds and we were hoping for favourable results, and an investor because we believed that the results would be positive and we were willing to commit the calculated risks because we knew we were doing the right thing.
Sometimes, we were trees; we were being cut down of our little luxuries in life to be able to share something to the children, but we don’t complain because we have succumbed fully to the spirit of voluntarism. Before AMBIT’s group arrival in the recipient barangays, Ms. Anne, the brainchild of this project, asked the children to bring seedlings to be planted in their backyards as a form of compensation. The notebooks were previously trees, so it was of great importance that they would be replaced by planting new seedlings.
The drive hinted me with so many meaningful reflections about life. We don’t need another Yolanda or a strong earthquake to awaken the spirit of voluntarism inside us. We could do it every day and in many simple forms. AMBIT’s way was through notebooks because we saw that education was a good investment for the future.
You don’t need to lift a finger to help, but you could share your kindness by becoming a donor. You don’t need to climb into the stiff highlands where the notebook recipients live to help. With simple click and share in your social media account or a word with your networks of friends, you could be able to spread AMBIT’s campaign.
We could not do it alone; we need your undying support!
