A Community Leader’s Dream
Marlene Borlagdatan, 41, dreamed of being a teacher when she was younger but the Lord had a different path prepared for her.
Married to Alex, she accepts laundry to help provide for their three (3) children while her husband works as a farmer and a construction worker. But their combined income was still insufficient to support their children. Their eldest, Marvin, was eventually forced to stop attending college and take a job as a service crew in a restaurant.
In 2012, her youngest, Angel Ann, became a World Vision Sponsored Child. This became life-changing for her and her family. More than the annual gifts they receive such as Noche Buena packs and school supplies which helped them with their finances, World Vision gave Marlene the opportunity to live the dream she thought she’d never fulfill.
As now part of World Vision, Marlene became the president of Sponsored Parent Association. She handled the community of Brgy. Malapat with 40 sponsored children and helped children learn how to write. After three years of being an active leader in her community, she then became the coordinator for the Municipality of Cordon, consisting of 10 Barangays with more than 1,000 registered sponsored children. She also attended various trainings and learned natural farming and financial budgeting through her involvement in COMSCA.
The past six years of being part of World Vision has been rewarding and fulfilling to Marlene.
“Tuwing nakakasulubong ko ang mga bata sa daan, ang sarap sa feeling na nakikita silang nakangiti sayo. Kasi natulungan mo sila (It feels good to see children smiling at me knowing that I was able to help them),” she shared.
She may not have become a professional teacher but with World Vision, she was able to teach and help the children in her community. She is grateful to the sponsors and donors of World Vision for giving her the opportunity to become a leader and do something she loves. She promises to use all the learnings and skills she have acquired in actively helping her community.
