Be Bright

Making #BiggerDreams possible in the Now Normal

For many Filipino children, receiving proper education in the now normal has been a hard adjustment. Most especially those situated in the marginalized sector with limited access to proper resources and internet connectivity, which have been proven to be vital in the now digital world. Not only does the pandemic add to the health and safety concerns the country is currently facing, but also delays one of the biggest contributors for growth in the future—education.

As the education sector pivots and innovates from the impact of the pandemic, new approaches and different learning modalities have been developed to better support it. For My Dream in a Shoebox (MDIAS), education is the greatest gift we can give to the children of today and fostering it will be the utmost priority. After last year presented the drastic changes in needs students face today, it was important to explore new opportunities and ways to adapt to this current evolving landscape.

MDIAS aims to provide less fortunate Filipino children with educational assistance and help make their #BiggerDreams come true. For its 12th year, MDIAS transformed its Do-It-Yourself shoeboxes and adapted to the calls of the Department of Education and to cater to the needs of the school from home setup. Aside from school supplies, it also called for donations of solar-powered and rechargeable transistor radios, old or new tablets, old usable computers with mobile internet dongle, working printers with ink tank and refillable ink, and photocopy machine with affordable toners to help make learning sustainable for students and teachers in the now normal.

According to Father Didoy Molina, one of MDIAS’ beneficiaries from Christ the King Parish, school supplies given out to their parish scholars has greatly improved their capacity to study, increase their confidence and performance, and enhance their self-esteem. He explained that the tools do not only help the children do well in their studies, but are also instruments of love and care shared with them by their parents and by the generous donors, telling them that they are cared for, and that their dreams are supported.

“I am looking forward to seeing more smiles and grateful faces as they receive beautiful boxes filled with school supplies, wrapped with care by generous donors. These memorable experiences really stay with me for life and inspire me to hope for our young people,” Father Didoy shared.

For Bea Lim, Managing Director of TeamAsia and MDIAS Chief Dreambuilder, corporate social responsibility is not just about giving back to the community when things get tough. It is a continuous commitment to inclusive growth, progress and development that will ultimately lead to a stronger, sustainable and thriving society.

“This now normal, we are in today highlights the importance of bayanihan and the devotion to work together to fight this pandemic and push for economic recovery with compassion, empathy, and faith that we can all get through this together,” Lim emphasized.

For more information on making #BiggerDreams come true, log on to www.teamasia.com/shoeboxcampaign, call +639178813724, or email shoebox@theredcircle.com.ph.

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