Mountain climbing inspires a cause to help children in isolated communities
For public relations professional Kelly Austria, local culture is best experienced, appreciated and enjoyed through exploring isolated communities nestled in the heart of the mountains, partaking in the celebrations of the locals, and bringing gifts to children living in the poor communities.
Ten years ago, Kelly, who loves going to destinations in the country, particularly to far-flung areas reached only by trekking, started the Trails to Empower Kids (TREK), which includes mountaineers and volunteers who enjoy mountain climbing and immersion in hard-to-reach communities.
The idea to make trips to the mountainous regions also a community reachout was borne out of a desire to make her birthday memorable by doing a good deed.
“I was involved with several mountain climbing organizations and made good friends with many of them. I wanted to make my birthday more memorable by organizing an activity in an orphanage. Then, one of them suggested that we just do it in the mountains. Since we really owe a lot to the communities in the mountains as they were vital to the fulfilment of our hobby, it was just right that we give back,” she said.
Partnering with community schools, TREK helps children living in isolated communities by providing them with backpacks, school supplies, raincoats, and slippers. Teachers, tribal leaders and community members help out in organizing the activity and program.
Soon, the organization also involved itself in construction and repair of classrooms, comfort rooms, and water systems. Sometimes, it also conducts medical and dental missions side by side with school supply distribution.
“To make the activities fun, we conduct games, artwork sessions. We usually end with a feeding program.”
Most of the communities visited by TREK are recommendations from fellow mountain climbers. “Once we get the lead, we visit the area to check. We favor areas that have not yet been reached by help. But the main consideration is how much the kids in those areas need help.”
TREK’s outreach activities number to two or three a year. Volunteers, who are mostly millennials, have day jobs. But common trait among them is the love for the outdoors. And they mostly discover TREK through social media and word-of-mouth.
“Since our family has grown, more people are also inviting. That is why we also get big groups like PSBank employees, PAGASA employees, and other mountain climbing groups.”
Before a TREK trip, volunteers are made to go to a preclimb meeting and are encouraged to take basic mountaineering course. Volunteers pay for their own expenses and hand out a small donation.
“We are lucky most of the volunteers are tireless and selfless. All of them contribute something to the program, either in meal preparations, or in organizing the donations, or in conducting games.”
For many of the volunteers, the TREK experience is an “eyeopener” to the harsh realities of the conditions in these remote communities.
“They tell me how eye-opening their experiences are, how they felt fulfilled after each outreach. I think the biggest rewards are the friendships bonded together by similar experiences. Most of my best friends now are fellow volunteers.”
Since it began, the group has done 31 missions, 4 relief operations. It has helped thousands of students from 50 schools in isolated areas in Benguet, Kalinga, Aurora, Apayao, Cagayan, Zambales, Nueva Ecija, Nueva Vizcaya, Quirino, Mindoro, Camarines Norte, and Iloilo.
“There are some communities that are just happy they get visitors for the first time. I think it was the feeling that they are not really left out; that there are people willing to undergo the hardships just to see them.”
In celebration of our 10th year, the group went back to ten of its partner communities.
Sibuyan Primary School in Itogon, Benguet was the first beneficiary of TREK program in 2007.
Kelly said the recent trip to the school was a recreation of the very first event, where she celebrated her birthday among the children, volunteers and members of the community.
In her blog (damngoodtravels.com), Kelly described the mission: “After breakfast, we gathered the kids for some artwork. There were more than thirty kids who joined us and I spent time taking photographs and talking to some kids. Sari, my godchild and daughter of one of my co- founders, Mimay, also joined. We had a member of the second generation already with us.Then, we had games for everyone, not just the kids. We distributed our gifts then started with our feast.”
TREK travels and missions is a source of peace and hope for Kelly.
While the volunteer-based organization brought her to the most beautiful places in the country such as the majestic mountains of Kibungan, the beautiful beaches of Aurora, or the serene rivers of Apayao, it also made her appreciate the goodness coming from the isolated but warm communities.
“It kept my faith in goodness. Even though we were really the ones bringing donations, it was really us gaining more from the kindness of each community member.”