Higalaay: Making Connections and Fostering Relationships

It was in the year 2021 when I was recruited and was introduced to the Rotaract Club of Carmen Valley and, to be honest, I thought this was just any other organization I have joined in the past— where membership stops at recruitment and nothing more. Or so I thought.

In the following days, I saw how these young professionals, now my fellow Rotaractors, were serious and proud members of this wonderful global organization that allows equal opportunities for everyone to take action with one goal in mind— to make this world a better place to live in.

When strangers become family

The Bible said, “many are called, but few are chosen”. This bible verse couldn’t be more true for the members of the club. Many have been invited to join the club, but only a few were chosen and accepted the call to join the life-changing movement and serve the community.

Despite maintaining full-time jobs, the members would never miss any club activities. It is the club’s unwritten rule to dedicate every weekend, particularly Saturday, for the club.

“Pwede pa-hitch sa venue? (Can I hitch a ride to the venue?)” and “Kinsay mo-hitch sa ako sa venue? (Who wants a ride to the venue?” are common questions in our chat group a day before an event. These may seem like simple questions but they show the camaraderie and the spirit of support among the members. No one will be left behind.

GIVE A HAND. The Rotaract Club of Carmen Valley in Lucena City on September 24, 2022, for the Give A Hand Project in collaboration with twin clubs Rotaract Clubs of Lucena South and Banilad Metro.

Indeed, each activity is important for the communities that the club is supporting, but each event is also an opportunity for the members to bond, have conversations, and feel the spirit of being one family. Because for these young professionals, Rotaract is home and Rotaract is family.

This year, the club successfully launched over 40 projects as it aims to transform more lives, two years after COVID-19 halted face-to-face activities.

Among the highlights of the projects launched are #SaveSAM where the Club supports mothers and children with severe acute malnutrition, Project Alibata which promotes reading comprehension in Badjao children, Project YAS (Young Agents of Change Summit), Project Flush which provides toilet facilities to families and aims to help end polio, and a project which raises awareness on security and protection among students called Project Safe.

Jaymar Aralmani, a Badjao student of St. John Elementary School and a beneficiary of Project Alibata said, “Nalipay kaayo ko kay nakakat-on ko. Puhon gusto ko mag-police para makatabang sa mga nanginahanglan (I am very happy that I have learned. Soon I want to become a police to help others in need).”

We’re happy to help you, Jaymar! And we couldn’t be more proud that our project has inspired you to become someone someday!

Endless Commitment through Collaboration

All of these projects were made possible through collaborations with various organizations. This is one of Rotary’s missions — making rich and diverse connections between different cultures and organizations.

For the first time this year, the Club has partnered with the University of Science and Technology of Southern Philippines’ Technology Communication Management (TCM) Department. Under this partnership, TCM students are student volunteers for the Club for about 3 months until the project is launched. The student volunteers are distributed to help and support each project. They are trained to handle events and taught the importance of commitment and responsibilities.

For TCM student Hanz Arceño, being part of the Rotaract Club of Carmen Valley is an “unforgettable, solid experience”. “On behalf of my USTP-TCM 3K6 classmates and other volunteers, pasalamat kaayo mi ug dako sa Club for giving us the chance to be part of this meaningful cause, a shared experience that we will cherish for the rest of our lives,” he added.

This is the future of the Club. The youth, the partnerships, the collaborations, the people.

The club’s success has never been about the measure of funds or the number of awards received, it is about the people, their commitment, the relationships we built, and the relationships to come.

Rotaract Club of Carmen Valley members pose with USTP TCM student volunteers during the culmination activity of Project Save SAM Year 3 in barangay Nazareth, Cagayan de Oro.