Keep Moving Forward
Amid the negativity and donation fatigue, Nash Sudario chose to focus on helping school kids—the sign that the New Normal could be Better and Brighter, if we work together
Words by MARGA CONSTANTINO
Nash Sudario, Senior Corporate Communications & Sustainability Staff at AC Infra, was uneasy. Though she was safe and comfortable at home, she couldn’t rest knowing that others were suffering. Watching the news and listening to online testimonials of people in need weighed heavy on her heart. Participating in her friends’ donation drives wasn’t enough.
So, when the opportunity at work came to help young students in Baguio, she gladly threw herself into the project.
Reaching out from home
Nash and her fellow AC Infra colleagues JC Quesada and Tristan Teologo, had always been active in Brigada Eskwela. But as schools closed down during Enhanced Community Quarantine, so did the annual activity of cleaning the schools and distributing school supplies to all the classes.
While looking for ways to reallocate their CSR budget, they connected with RecoveREADS, an external project that equipped children with school supplies. Nash, JQ, and Tristan quickly rounded up their team, and tapped Ken Lerona and Patricia Cabigas from Entrego, and She Gosiengfiao and Jen Galang from Ayala Corporation to help gather donations from across their companies.
“The pandemic changed and affected so many lives. It also brought out the true bayanihan spirit in each of us, helping the needy in every way we can. A little help through RecoveREADS will ensure that the future is bright. The hungry minds of our chosen beneficiaries will be nurtured,” Tristan shared.
Packing for the future. School supplies are being prepared for public school students forced by quarantine restrictions to go on distance learning from home.
“We are hoping that people can see how they can still help in the education of kids! That they can still be involved even at a distance.”
Care in every pack. All RecoveREADS kits contain educational items, snacks, and health and safety paraphernalia, plus personalized notes from donors.
When the purpose is bigger than the challenge
“I guess we overcame the minor difficulties because we knew that the value and purpose of the project is much bigger than the challenges we faced… We are hoping that people can see how they can still help in the education of kids! That they can still be involved even at a distance.” Patricia said of Entrego’s journey to deliver the kits on September 28.
Entrego, AC Infra’s logistics unit, officially partnered with RecoveREADS to deliver over 450 kits to students in Pinsao, Baguio. These kits included storybooks, crayons, pencils, coloring books, cookies (sourced in Baguio), and a journal designed for moms and kids to work on together. Each kit also contained a hygiene package with alcohol, soap, and a face mask.
AC Infra is currently wrapping up this pilot run of the RecoveREADS project and is handing it over to Ayala Foundation for future collaborations within the Ayala Group. They did not expect such generous involvement from their fellow Ayala Citizens, and now they see the potential to scale f up the project to involve even more Ayala companies.
Thumbs up. On October 12, 2020, the RecoveREADS kits were distributed at Pinsao Elementary School. Pinsao’s principal, teachers, and parent representatives received the packs.
““Being an Ayala Citizen who is so blessed to be helped and taken cared of by the company, I want to pay it forward.””
Seeing hope in helping others
For the AC Infra team, the successful first run of the RecoveREADS project reenergized them to continue helping where they can.
“We try to help, one day at a time, one initiative at a time… I guess [this] is the main inspiration for us to keep this project moving,” Nash shared. “Amidst the negativity and donation fatigue, I decided to push RecoveREADS Help From Home forward because I want to take any opportunity to help. Being an Ayala Citizen who is so blessed to be helped and taken cared of by the company, I want to pay it forward.”
Through RecoveREADS, the team feels optimistic that there will be more opportunities to help. Most importantly, it gave them and their communities hope that the country can move forward together into a New and Better Normal. #
POSTED OCTOBER 23, 2020
