#AfterHaiyan: Shattered school but not shattered dreams

Joy Maluyo

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#AfterHaiyan: Shattered school but not shattered dreams
Graduates of Botongon Elementary School dare to dream despite difficult times

They all looked beautiful in white.

I was watching them arrive, one by one. Some with their parents, some with their siblings, some with relatives. All the girls had their make up on while the young boys put an effort in their hairstyle.

Graduation songs started to play. I went to a corner and tried to observe. Parents were smiling. The graduates seemed excited.

I looked around. Destroyed classrooms. Scattered boats. Debris. Even after 4 months, the fury of Typhoon Haiyan is still evident. 

 Then I met Romelia and Angel. The three of us went near the seashore.

HOPEFUL. Not the background Romelia and Angel  envisioned for their graduation photo, but they remain hopeful for their school.

“It’s good to be back in our school for our graduation. It is sad to see how it looked like after the typhoon but we’re happy that we can still march here today,” said Romelia, the class valedictorian.

They imagined this day to be grand – balloons, flowers, and a well-decorated stage. For Angel and Romelia, they envisioned themselves running to the seashore after the ceremony, taking one last shot as elementary students in the school that nurtured them for 6 years. (READ: Zambo students graduate despite effect of siege)

“This is not how I imagined it to be. The background for the photo will no longer be good. We missed this place, ma’am. After the typhoon, we were having classes in a tent and so we are all happy that we are here on our graduation day,” Angel, the class salutatorian smiled.

After a while, the students were asked to position themselves with their parents for the procession. I looked at Angel and Romelia from afar. They may be young but they view life with optimism.

Romelia’s father died when she was younger. She was left under her grandmother’s care when her mother had to work in another province.

SPECIAL DAY. Romelia, the class valedictorian, shares her joy with her grandmother.

 

“I wish they were here but I am happy still. My mother is going to visit me on April and I can give her my medals then.”

Angel, on the other hand is the 4th among 6. Their house was destroyed when a power barge ran aground during the typhoon. Aside from the devastation caused by Haiyan, the people of Botongon in Estancia, Iloilo were also faced with health risks because of the oil spill. (READ: Iloilo works towards recovery after Yolanda)

“We lost our house. And because our place is near the shoreline, we were not allowed to go back. Until now, we are living in the tent city,” Angel said.

She’s referring to the evacuation center. Some families like hers can no longer go back because their area has been declared a danger zone, including the school site.

I began to wonder if their graduation day at least eased the struggles of the girls. When they started marching, I knew the answer was yes. That day spelled hope.

When they started going up on stage to receive their awards, I saw the glow in their eyes, including Romelia’s grandmother and Angel’s parents.

“Thank you to our parents, to our teachers and to you, classmates. Thank you to the many people who helped us after the typhoon,” said Angel in her speech.

Future dreams 

When the ceremony ended, I asked them to take their photos as they have planned before. They obliged and they also shared their hopes for themselves and for their school.

“Both of us want to be teachers someday. We will teach here,” said Angel while smiling at Romelia.

“We hope that the younger students will have a school site and building soon because it is hot in the tent,” shared Romelia. We all looked at the photos. Yes, their background may be a shattered structure but the strength of their hearts, including all other graduates in Haiyan-hit areas remains unshakeable. 

Friendly space for children

World Vision has been working hand in hand with the community after Typhoon Haiyan. Food and non-food items were distributed during the emergency phase while a child-friendly space was set up in the evacuation center to give children a safe place to play and express themselves.

A Women and Young Children Space also catered to mothers, pregnant women, and children below 5 years old.

In its recovery phase, World Vision is set to provide shelter kits and tools to more than 1000 families in Estancia, Iloilo. – Rappler.com

Joy Maluyo, 25, is currently deployed in Visayas as a Communication Officer for World Vision’s Haiyan Response. She holds an MA in Development Communication from University of the Philippines Open University. 

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