"Through the EYES of the beholder"
Thursday, November 1, 2012
CAPTURE!: Climate Change Through the Eyes of the Children
CAPTURE!: Climate Change Through the Eyes of the Children: Climate Change Through the Eyes of the Children by: Jenalyn V. Cagas C limate change (global warming) represents the greatest enviro...
Climate Change Through the Eyes of the Children
Climate Change Through the
Eyes of the Children
by: Jenalyn V. Cagas
Climate change (global warming) represents the greatest environmental, social and economic threats that people all over the world face today. It causes natural calamities such as flash floods, droughts, forest fires, and typhoons subsequently leading to diseases, epidemics, and property losses including homes and lives. Its effects have been felt for years and have become more and more severe. Its alarming occurrence is everybody's concern and responsibility right now.Perhaps for adults, climate change is a massive destruction to Mother Earth. How about the children? How do their innocent minds perceive climate change?
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| "Itanong mo sa mga bata kung anong buhay ang gusto nila... dahil minsan lang sila maging bata." |
With climate change, the earth has lost its protective power and is turning away from humanity. All powerful people in the world might not prevent the earth to collapse when its time comes.
Zayaan Masood (12 years old, bangladesh) asked, "Where will go?" seeing himself and his countrymen on boats suffering from floods, saving their most important possessions. many parts of his country are below sea level. Global warming is expanding the oceans and the melting of polar ice is an additional threat to the country's existence.
In China, there's a coal mine. The miners earn their living working in conditions that endanger their health. The smoke from chimneys of the power station is as black as coal. "The clouds are weeping, the rain is acid, trees are dying and the people flee the smog with face masks," calling Jiang Zian (9 years old, China) to protect the environment and the people.
Another child named Lakshmi (10 years old, India) noticed the half dried-out lake on the outskirts of their place. Recently, there has been frequent absence of rainfall in their region so the groundwater table has dropped noticeably.
"Our world nowadays is like a baby threatened by man-made monsters. The nuclear power station symbolized how human actions destroy the environment just as climate change threatens the nature," Svetlana Kuhklevskaja (12 years old, Belarus) said.
"Don't cry! If we see the clouds getting darker and darker, we still have the power to change the situation," Renee Wang (13 years old, United States) said. What sad views people are seeing make them cry. But people can see with their eyes the causes for the warming up of the Earth's atmosphere like noxious emissions, so they can change the situation.
Guy Nindorera (12 years old, Burundi) stressed that if we destroy the trees, we put our lives in danger for without trees there'll be erosion and floods and the people will starve. The overflow river banks look the way they do today because of deforestation and soil erosion over the past ten years, which climate change is making even worse. He pointed out that if we lose even more lands, people will soon be fighting for each other.
"I observed the change of climate from time to time and I called it Ulan, Init, Piyesta sa Langit," Regine Manalo (10 years old, Philippines) answered to her science teacher asking about climate change. "But it's not called fiesta anymore because the clouds are dark and horrible to look at," she added.
"I am an SMI ( a mining industry) scholar. I am proud that I was chosen to be a scholar," Mery Buwan (13 years old, Philippines) testified.
In countries like Philippines, children think about climate change as a broad concept to discuss. They know a little about climate change but they appreciate the establishments like coal mining due to the benefits it may bring to the people like scholarships that have been enjoyed and activities people who run the institution conduct.
To the children, climate change may not as lucid as what adults perceived. For them, what they see and feel is what they professed - gleefully play under the heavy rains, paddling and swimming in murky flood waters, flying kites despite the prickling heat of the sun . They only feel and ponder the effects when its pangs and pains creep into their beings upon witnessing the great damage climate change created, when there's nothing to eat, nothing to stay secure day and night...Climate change...how children perceived and viewed by their innocence...young as they are yet to comprehend...but deep in their hearts, no one can tell their dreams and longings for a better and a happy peaceful world to live in...through their eyes.
Wednesday, October 31, 2012
CAPTURE!: A Volunteer's Reflection
CAPTURE!: A Volunteer's Reflection: A Volunteer's Reflection by: Jenalyn V. Cagas Have you tried to render your services without expecting any in return? Have y...
A Volunteer's Reflection
A Volunteer's Reflection
on Child-Friendly Activities
on Child-Friendly Activities
by: Jenalyn V. Cagas
https://www.facebook.com/groups/136220909760011/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/136220909760011/
Have you tried to render your services without expecting any in return? Have you tried to offer yourself making disturbed people smile, going to conflicted areas reaching out evacuees though you knew it might risk your life? Have you tried setting your time packing and carrying relief goods, school supplies, candies or food? Have you tried to patiently and dedicatedly spend time facing the computer developing modules and planning activities for Child Friendly Activities (CFA)? Have you tried to ride in a dump truck wet by the rain, cooled by the air and dried by the sun? Have you found true friends while doing those things? If you answer "YES" to all these questions with so much fun and enjoyment, then you feel the true essence and true meaning of volunteerism.
What is volunteerism?
Volunteerism may not be found in any dictionary but can be readily found in the heart of every youth or person who undertakes tasks and services of his own free will and offers himself willingly without asking any in return. This spirit of volunteerism is evidently manifested in Kapayapaan Kapatid Council (KKC) Tri-Youth Volunteers, presently known as SPN - Volunteers.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/406569202730385/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/406569202730385/
Why volunteerism?
This Kapayapaan Kapatid Council Tri-Youth Volunteers is a movement composed of Muslim, Lumad and Christian youth coming from different schools and organizations aimed to attain a common goal - to stress free the minds of traumatic, disturbed and hopeless victims particularly children through Child Friendly Activities.
KKC Tri-Youth Volunteers have reached out SOCSARGEN specifically in the conflict mountainous risky areas. They are readily present in making difference, meaningful contributions in the community and doing actions in the culture of peace. rendering free medical missions and action for peace program services, giving fun games, hand paintings, blowing bubbles, relating lively songs and inspiring stories are some of the best practices of the volunteers offer to the least fortunate children, who have been the victims of societal and natural catastrophes.
Becoming a volunteer.....
Making every child smile, guiding and assisting them towards knowing who and how worthy they are as persons in the family and community, joyfully doing hand paintings and blowing bubbles to the sky which give HOPE, COURAGE and PERSISTENCE for their dreams are unforgettable experiences carved in the hearts and minds of the volunteers.
Joining in the Kapayapaan Kapatid Council Tri-Youth Volunteers doesn't only mean becoming a volunteer. The criteria of becoming a volunteer are inherent. Making people smile by doing simple things makes one the best volunteer. Doing right things daily that make God smile makes someone the greatest volunteer ever!
As a Filipino youth, why don't we join in volunteering and bringing back the peace in Mindanao and peace for the entire country? Let's prove that we're still the hope of our fatherland. Let's stand now! Let's volunteer! Let's ACT FOR PEACE!
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| Peace Journalism 2009 for the youth held at NFA, General Santos City |
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| Bonding moments of the volunteers at DXCP, General Santos City - Ibrahim Nilong, Nova Masoco, Thed Quartz, Joemar Gandao, yours truly (Jenalyn Cagas) and Edward Ocular |
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| Youth Camp at Dona Luz's rest house, Kiamba, Sarangani Province |
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| Circles of Peace! |
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| Volunteers in a truck wet by the rain...joyfully going to MAKIMA for a mission |
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| Blowing of bubbles of peace and dreams! |
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| preparing for CFA materials |
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| CFA at Sumbakil, Polomolok, South Cotabato..simultaneous with medical mission |
Sunday, October 21, 2012
Sunshine
July 19, 1987 - It was dawn when a mother labored in a "bahay-kubo" amidst the rice field. It was in the far flung area where difficult to reach people for help, far from hospitals also. It's been hours of suffering from pain until the sunshine touched the mother's tummy for the first time, and she gave birth to a baby girl named "JeNaLyn."
The named JeNaLyn was derived from three names:
Je for Jessie (her father);
Na for Narcisa (her mother); and
Lyn for Lino (her grandfather).
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