Teen hopes for a better situation in the next school year
Mary’s life before the pandemic was no stranger of hurdles. Her family used to endure financial limitation and other challenges. But their situation worsened when the lockdown periods due to COVID-19 happened.
During the early start of the community quarantines, adults and children were not allowed to go out. Mary’s father could not sail and earn from fishing. They relied mostly from the government’s financial and food aid.
The former 10th grader also struggled to adjust when the education modality changed from face-to-face to modular. “I find it hard to learn from the printed modules because it is not the learning style that I am used to. I can learn best when there is a discussion from a teacher,” she shares.
But Mary is an optimist. She understands that everyone is facing their own battles during this pandemic. She would just draw inspiration from her dream of becoming a policewoman so she can endure the new way of learning.
She also shared that her journey could have gotten worse if World Vision didn’t support her family during this trying time. The organization implemented the vegetable gardening project which provided them with vegetable seeds, tools, and learning on how to successfully grow plants.
Mary’s mother, Jocelyn, is the main caretaker of their garden. She plants eggplants, string beans, and water spinach among others. “I have been planting before but with World Vision’s support, we were able to plant more vegetables. We sell some of our produce which we earn around P500 a week. The plants also keep us, especially our children, healthy during this crisis,” says the 37-year-old mother.
Part of the organization’s incentive is to give 25kilos of rice to those who successfully completed all phases of the vegetable gardening project. Jocelyn, who diligently planted and nurtured the seedlings she received. The rice incentive helps the family save money to spend on other important things.
The community restrictions has also loosened and the father can already sail and catch fish to earn.
For Mary’s education, she has been receiving school supplies every year since she was in kindergarten because of her sponsorship with World Vision. During the pandemic, she also received supplies that can be used in her modular lessons such as bond papers, pens, notebooks, and a plastic envelope.
During this upcoming school year opening, Mary wishes that the situation will improve for her and her fellow learners. “I hope that the pandemic will no longer affect us so that we can already go to school and learn face-to-face,” says the teenager.
