In the summer of 2021, IB2 student Beatriz “Bea” Rodriguez pitched an interesting project to the school tutoring and counseling organization CAN_IB. She proposed that members could volunteer as English-speaking buddies for Filipino ESL children during weekends to help them build up confidence in the English language. This was one of a handful of Bea’s contributions to the GreenEarth Heritage Foundation.
GreenEarth is a non-profit organization that focuses on sustainability in both the environment and community development. Based in the foothills of the Sierra Madre mountain range in Bulacan, the foundation helps farming families break the cycle of poverty by reforming them from illegal logging, helping them earn better pay, and educating their children.
Bea has been volunteering since Grade 9. When asked how she started, she says, “My ninang is a GreenEarth ambassador and my godbrothers did a lot of projects with them, like Water for GreenEarth [where we helped fund and create deep wells with solar-power pumps to build up the land’s water supply]. I started out by planting trees like many other volunteers but I slowly started co-founding some projects and I eventually led my own.”
As a youth ambassador, Bea supports the foundation by promoting its advocacy and projects. She also strives to abide by their mission, especially the 4Ls that are reflected in their activities一Love for the environment, Livelihoods in organic agriculture, Literacy, and responsible community Living and lifestyles.
Above anything, though, what stood out to her about GreenEarth was how genuine the people working with them are.
“It’s truly inspiring,” she shares, thinking about her time at GreenEarth. “I've been [at the site] twice, and when I see the volunteers, I see that they're willing to spend their time helping the kids and the farmers earn an education and livelihood. Afterward, those [farmer families] would come back to GreenEarth and give back in their own way. It's inspiring to see the volunteers give their time with real, genuine service and not just for bragging rights. It's a real, impactful way to serve a community.”
For Bea, she believes that volunteerism shouldn’t only be for extra credit to put on one’s portfolio一it should come from a place of genuine commitment and passion.
“One thing I learned about joining GreenEarth is that you have to give 100% of your effort plus ten. If you're sincerely willing to help this organization, you wouldn't want to stop halfway and give your half-best. You have to give it your all.”
If you’re interested in volunteering for GreenEarth, consider contacting them at contactus@greenearthheritage.org. You can also visit their website for further information, or support their farmers directly by purchasing from their shop.
Photos from GreenEarth Heritage Foundation website.
Comments