Trekking for Education: Cebu Outdoor Adventure Team celebrates Independence Day 2012

CEBU – To most of us, trekking mountains is a hobby that allows us to be one with nature. But to the kids living in the mountain barangays, it is their daily journey to education. They have to go through the same rough trail (even harder) to get to school. It’s no longer a matter of having fun but a yearning to learn.

June 12, 2012 – It’s Philippine Independence Day and the Cebu Outdoor Adventure Team (COAT), along with friends, chose to reach out to the kids in the remote areas of Barangay Sapangdaku, a mountain village in Guadalupe, Cebu City. These kids hike three kilometers or more every day just to go to school. They were given books, bags, and other school supplies.

It started with an initiative to help children who are eager to learn despite their distance to school and financial status. After a little planning and a lot of support from concerned individuals who were generous enough, nearly 100 sets of school supplies were distributed.

Sitio Ka Dyanoy and Sitio Kahugan are among the areas covered. Because of the overwhelming happiness we witnessed in the eyes of the kids and their parents, Cebu Outdoor Adventure Team is going to make this a yearly event.

With the continued support of kind-hearted people and hopefully more private and public sectors willing to lend a hand, more children will be given the chance to fulfill their dreams of a brighter future.

It‘s heartbreaking to see them carry a hundred mangoes in their heads to help their parents save money enough to send them to school. Seeing the scars on their foreheads that they got from carrying heavy baskets attached to their heads crushed me even more.

After seeing their smiles when the little bundles of joy were handed, I can’t contain how much happiness I felt.

Joy Hortizano expresses her gratitude by saying, “Nothing beats the feeling of joy watching them smile with contentment when they received those plain and simple things we sometimes take for granted.”

Kalayaan Dungog adds, “Words can’t explain how wonderful to witness such smile.” (Carolyn Kay Mante/Photo by Joemeth Robles)