Teen Speaks Up for Kids in Poverty at National Event

By Babylene Bocayes, Philippines Field Communications Specialist   |  Photos by Babylene Bocayes and Child Champions

A teen in the Philippines who attended a national event aimed at reducing poverty shares about the rich experience of meeting youth leaders from other regions and learning about the issues kids in poverty face today.

Rica at conference

Rica with her Child Champion and Hope Center Director Edwin Araña, who accompanied her and her mother to the event.

Rica, 14, was born and raised on an island called Panay in the Visayas region of the Philippines.

She belongs to a tribal group called Panay-Bukidnon who mostly reside in the mountainous areas of the island.

Because of many factors such as their remote location, many children on this part of the island experience extreme poverty economically, physically, and socially.

Most children aren’t able to finish higher education because they live in an area where there’s no high school.

Children are undernourished due to lack of food. Child hunger is common. They also lack access to quality health services.

And so, many tribal people go to the lowlands to have better access to these services.

Although she lives in the lowlands with her family, Rica says kids in her community experience a different kind of poverty than in the mountains.

She says the sad reality is that many children here often encounter problems such as bullying, teen pregnancy, and online sexual exploitation.

So, when Rica had the opportunity to speak for the children of her generation at a national event aimed at alleviating poverty, she gladly accepted.

She served as a youth representative for the National Sectoral Assemblies, a platform for addressing issues and shaping the direction of the country’s anti-poverty initiatives.

The three-day assembly was organized by the National Anti-Poverty Commission. Approximately 1,300 leaders — including youth leaders — from different regions of the Philippines attended.

Rica

Rica wears a tribal outfit and encourages other kids to embrace their identity as Panay-Bukidnon.

The intent of the assembly was to have discussions, share ideas, and build connections to move toward the goal of alleviating poverty and promoting the overall well-being of the marginalized sectors in the country.

It was also an opportunity for Rica to make friends with other youth leaders who attended.

“I learned many things about child labor, adolescent pregnancy, online sexual exploitation of children, and mental health issues,” Rica says. She was able to share what she learned with her family and friends back home.

Rica dreams of becoming a flight attendant. And so, when she was invited to this event, she was able to ride in an airplane for the first time. It made her even more excited to reach for her dreams.

Group photo

This group photo shows the children’s sector of the conference. Photo courtesy of the National Anti-Poverty Commission.

Rica is grateful to her Child Champions who prayed for her, believed in her, and taught her the importance of trusting in God. She believes that’s why she was able to take another step toward achieving her dream by attending and learning from this event.

And she encourages other kids to reach for their dreams, too.

“Don’t be shy,” Rica says. “We need to have confidence, faithfulness, and trust in God. Because He is our Savior and the source of our strength in all of our life endeavors.”

Keep it up, Rica! Your Child Champions are proud of you.


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