(In January 2011, and thanks to the ICRC Young Reporter Competition, I had the fortune of visiting the ICRC mission in the Philippines to report on the situation of youth. This post is part of a series I wrote on this visit. Click here to see the rest of the posts.)
One of my favorite experiences in my visit to the ICRC mission to the Philippines was the visit we did to beneficiaries in Maguindanao. We were there to see the progress in their vegetable garden, which is supported by the ICRC through its Food Security program.
I loved this experience for many things: I’m food-obsessed, so anything food related makes me excited. I always wanted to know what work on the ground looked like, and it didn’t get closer than a visit like this. Also, it was a very alien experience to me, a girl who’s lived in an urban setting in Mexico for her entire life. And finally, it was all so colorful, so beautiful (physical and socially speaking), that I really wanted to share some of the photos I took in there. There wasn’t room for all this in my article.
The weather was hot (way over 30ºC) and humid. Our visit took place in the early afternoon. We drove off the main highway for a while before we reached this beautiful spot, covered in green.
We started making our way in, and eventually started seeing the residents of this area. They are all internally displaced people; this means they had to leave their houses when conflict erupted in their area, and they resettled here.
A field officer of the ICRC, a truly inspiring woman from the region, explained why we were there while we greeted everyone. This is when I say that, when I grow up, I want to be like Kip.
Kip, please never change.
The way you interact with the communities makes me smile every time I think about it.
The residents showed us around their garden, telling us what was being grown. The roots, the products, everything. They were very welcoming to us.
Can you recognize one of the first yields of this season?
They even let us do some sweet potato tastings. And boy, was that the best sweet potato anything I’ve had in my life! (yes, even in that heat).
I couldn’t help but just take a look around to see all the beauty around me. I was privileged to witness it.
Afterwards, we went to the meeting area. They have a designated space for gathering with the representatives of the organizations that give them support; project planning takes place there, with community presence.
On this occasion, we used this space to talk with them about their experiences. In a day full of highlights, getting to learn what things are like for them was simply out of this world. And to hear all of it surrounded by individuals of all ages, not just adults, made it even more special!
Something they spoke with us about was their workday. I think many people would be surprised to find out how hard these people work, despite receiving so much support from organizations.
They wake up at 5 AM or so everyday to do their prayers and prepare for the work they’ll do that day. For most of the community, this will involve agricultural work; they must clean the land from weeds and all the things that may be detrimental to the growth of their crops.
They work their land throughout the entire morning and into their afternoon, when they will stop to have lunch. After lunch, it is time to find ways to make an income; many leave the settlement to sell goods, or provide transportation services. The workday is over when they come home, to enjoy a bit of time before it is time to sleep. They have no television, so lights are out early.
There are other tasks that community members undertake. One of the mothers is a teacher for all the kids; she receives support from an organization to be able to do this.
After this conversation, it was time to visit the second community…
Photo credits: © CICR/García Montes, Mariel
The here shown material has been produced with the authorization of The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). However, it does not necessarily reflect the ICRC’s views, and the ICRC may not be held liable for any content here shown.