As they say in the Philippines, 'Good Morning!'

Hello Everyone! I’ve been in Cebu City for approximately ten days now, and it’s been a whirlwind of an orientation. Usually when a friend comes back from a country of which I’ve never been, the first question that comes to mind is- how different is it? So I’ll just go ahead and address that question off that bat: There is, in fact, aggravated poverty here. And yes, there are some definite lifestyle adjustments to be made. But no, I do not have to speak a different language. As a result, our relative ease of communication has definitely facilitated a smooth transition.

The Philippines was colonized by Spain for over three hundred years, leaving Catholicism as their most visible lasting legacy. However, it was the United States that played a large role in twentieth century Filipino history. The modern school system, for example, was set up by the U.S. Consequently, all formal education is instructed in English- thereby making my efforts to communicate with Filipinos very very easy. But that’s not to minimize their local language, Cebuano. Most Filipinos in the Visayas (where Cebu is located) speak Cebuano in their communities, and defer to English in more formal realms. So learning Cebuano will be an important step to getting a deeper understanding of Filipino culture . . .

Less than two weeks after my arrival, I’m realising that there are many experiences that I’d like to share. So I might fluctuate between informing you of my work (which is absolutely incredible!) and touching upon the cultural discoveries of every-day pass times (like the national obsession with pork).

My fellowship is with an organization which works to rescue trafficked women and girls from local brothels, prosecute traffickers, and rehabilitate the survivors. Our large team is phenomenal in what they do, and I am inspired every day by what they are able to accomplish. In particular, I am working within the Aftercare department, which focuses on giving survivors the opportunity to become economically self-sufficient. This facet has become extremely important, because without it, girls are typically put back into the impoverished conditions which made them vulnerable to being trafficked in the first place.

But employment is complicated: It is simply not enough for a survivor to access vocational training, or, the hard skills. It seems that to get and keep a job, the soft skills, or interpersonal skills, are just as important. As of yet, there is no centralized forum for survivors to learn these skills. Thus, International Justice Mission has been working for a number of years to make that happen. Fortunately, I’ve stepped in at a time where the Job Readiness Program is already established, and the training of the trainers is ready to begin. I will be contributing to the implementation of this training, and I am delighted for the opportunity.

For the sake of brevity, I’ll discuss the second part of my Fellowship in another entry. But so far, I have been able to meet several clients, and am getting to know social workers and other community stakeholders on a daily basis. To the former, it is nothing other than a privilege to meet women who are taking on life’s challenges and forging new paths for themselves. And to the latter, I am so honoured to be surrounded by people who work to restore lives. I only hope to absorb some of their strength, wisdom, and compassion.

Thank you, to everyone who has helped make this effort possible. And I promise to keep you informed, and hopefully encouraged!

Sincerely,

Ali