First Visit to Sitio Mapidya, A Back to School Project

The advocacy and commitment of Akyat Aral Organization continues to reach out by touching lives of children and families in different community with different ethnicity in the far mountainous areas of the country lives on.

The group program expanded to its  new recipient, the community of Sitio Mapidya.  The project is called "Unang dalaw sa mga kapatid sa Sition Mapidya" ( First visit to our brothers and sitters in Sitio  Mapidya) The program of the group "Mission of Hope for the Children"  is not just providing materials thing, and personal needs for the students ans families  but instead to contribute a positive change to their standpoint as indigenous groups, communities and as individuals. Part of the group advocacy  is to assist and  give them a measurable influence in handing back the power of change as indigenous communities.

Preparations:

In four years time, the Akyat Aral volunteers and members are accustomed  to take and pick up donations from anywhere.They also buy for the other needs and repacked all the donations collected. The volunteers are giving their time, energy and skills freely, as an ultimately generated desire and enthusiasm to give help to the children and families especially to those in far mountainous areas in the country. 

 Getting there:

After almost 3 hours of travel from Manila, we transfer  to another vehicles called  Skeleton, to travel for another 4 hours just to reach the Sitio Mapidya. The road is difficult, uphills, rough  and uneven.

Our group was divided into two vehicles, the other one got miscommunication with the other driver that resulted a lot of delays and they need to transfer to another vehicles (six by six types of vehicle) while ours  got flat tires and it happened twice.

The long rocky and sloppy river crossing. 

The physically challenging journey towards Mapidya, doesn't hamper the passion for community service of the members of Akyat Aral. Walking and trekking in the mountain in the midday heat of the sun, skipping meals, inadequate sleep, heavy rains, tiredness and many other physical challenges are all worthless compared to the joy, fun and happiness they can give to the communities they visited.

 Sitio Mapidya

The sitio is located in the heart of Sierra Madre mountain under the jurisdiction of Papaya Nueva Ecija is the habitat of the  Dumagat and Igorot tribes.

Akyat Aral  project aims to provide school materials and personal needs of the students and the families such as school supplies, medicines, old cloths and others necessities including  toys for the kids. And above all to inspire and motivate young students the importance of education for their bright future. . 

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Distribution of School Supplies and Loot Bag 

Distribution of Slippers

Medical Work

Distribution of Old Clothes

Food Stuff for the Community

Cooking of Foods

Eating Time

Parlor Games

Put Smile in their Face.

The mystery of giving is revealed when you saw a delighted smile from their face.

The contagious smiles of the children that we use to see in every event, takes away all the hardship and sacrifices we encountered in every visit. The essence to which the group seems to be very addicted to. Their smile teaches us in some of our resentment in our daily life in the city. As a volunteer our hands are born open and sometimes empty, but our heart is always full, and we can share things out of that.

It was a great and memorable day for both of us, for the community and the Akyat Aral members and volunteers. It was a great opportunity to join them, and be satisfied and flattered to our self, to experience playing with a simple thing and feel happy and contented with a people with a limited wants. 

  

Akyat Aral believes that we give hope and inspiration.

Our mission of hope continue, one step at a time.

Our sincere thanks to all of our sponsors, donors and volunteers. 

All this is impossible without your help. Thank you for trusting Akyat Aral as a channel of your blessing, Its a great pleasure in everyone of us, to experience  and felt the happiness of those people you helped 

In kind and cash donation accepted

 For cash donation, you may course thru your donations on our official bank accounts specified on the picture. Thanks you very much and may the Good Lord, Bless Us All!!

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Dumagat Give a Gift Project and Feeding Program

Sitio Bulak, General Tinio Nuve Ecija
( known as Papaya Nueva Ecija)

Fresh from its "Back to School Project" with the Iraya Mangyan Tribe of Sitio Latag, Occidental Mindoro, The group is once again up for another Charity event, this time with the Dumagat Tribe of Gen. Tinio, Nueva Ecija. The result of ocular inspection in Sitio Bulak, Rio Chico, Papaya Nueva Ecija, gives the group an immediate action to attend the need of our Dumagat countrymen. Our Mission of Hope for the Children continue to do so with its programs and events.

It is our little way of letting them know that education is a fundamental right of every children, not just for the city dwellers , but even for those in the far mountainous part of the country living in poverty and stricken by illiteracy . Akyat Aral Org. believes that every children has the right and deserves the chance for a better school for them to learn and develop their skills for a much better future. 

From a proposed simple feeding project, this event went on becoming more likely our previous project , giving School materials to the kids and Ecobag full of grocery items given to 100 Dumagat families of Sitio Bulak, this had been possible with the generosity from our supporters/donors.

It was the first time that the group didnt trek/walk up to its chosen community. Special thanks for the support and assistance of the local Government of Gen. Tinio headed by Mayor Virgilio Bote and Councilor Nestor Sib-at , which they have provided the group with vehicles ( Jeep, Dump Truck & a Van) for an easier and faster way going to Sitio Bulak plus an escort from its local Police.

Seeing all of these this things, the excitement builds with every minute. AA Participants were not just ready, but extremely EXCITED! some of which chose to ride as top loads of the Jeepney feeling the cool breeze and breathing the fresh air of Nueva Ecija.

Halfway through, the road becomes more difficult, as cemented pathways became rocky and sloppy. Unfortunately, the 3 vehicle could not  pass anymore since the road became more stiffer with crater like dents which is impossible for these vehicles to manage through.

 As a contingency measure, Councilor Sib-at asked the help of Ms Carmen Manuel, A local NGO and Municipal employee asking for the assistance providing the group with a "SKELETON", a Jeep like vehicle with no exterior covering,  big enough to accommodate all of the participants and its load of goodies . This vehicle is more capable of strolling up the difficult and treacherous path up to sitio bulak.

While waiting, the group stayed at Brgy. Sibug Hall for a temporary shelter. The participants then took their lunch and take the opportunity to rest.. The local Brgy hall caretaker are generous enough providing us firewood's and assist us in what the group needs for cooking, he also let some of the participants took a nap inside the hall.

Then came the "SKELETON"!, the group wasted no time and ride on to it immediately. The 2 hour bumpy and roller coaster ride like journey to Sitio Bulak seems to have given more excitement to the participants, even though conducive, the group manage to make it fun and feeling the thrills of the ride... And that's the true SPIRIT!

The group reach Sitio Bulak at 5:00 PM, having no more time to set camp, they quickly prepare the venue and everything else needed for the program at a hall near the school. Fortunately, this was already been coordinated ahead of time with Teacher Aileen Pajarillaga, so the much needed Cooking utensils were already been prepared for our feeding program.

The program started with an introduction made by host, explaining the mission of Akyat Aral, how we have gathered the donations and the most important inspirational talk about the importance of EDUCATION to these eager Dumagat children

Even the darkness of the Night could not stop the groups passionate heart to serve and give fun to these people, the program and fun games continue with only lightened  by Flash lights and the headlight of the Skeleton Jeep..

Dinner is Served! Its almost dinner time when the "Sopas" was cooked. These treat was distributed to our anxious and hungry guest.

 Akyat Aral Officials decided to continue the program the following day since it is getting too late and it already starting to drizzle... Lights Out!

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Early morning, the program continues ..The group also cooked "Pancit Canton" noodles that was serve to our guest.

 Again, the group conducted fun games while preparing the goods for distribution. The games were enjoyed by both The young and the young at hearts.  These Dumagats seems to have enjoyed  all the fun games prepared for them and participated gamely. 

Lastly, the group then distibuted the School supplies to morethan 60 children and the grocery items to 100 families. Clothes and toys were also given. 

It was indeed a fun and memorable day for both The Dumagats and The Akyat Aral Members and Volunteers. It was a day we have set aside our cultural indifference, our statures in life and just let go and interact with our brothers and sister, leaving everyone with a  SMILE that would last a LIFETIME.

Many thanks to all sponsors, donors, volunteers, Municipality of General Tinio (Papaya) Nueva Ecija and the Chinese Community of Juan Luna,  Binondo,  Manila, for providing   school materials needed for school rehabilitation.

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