Education and community development are two of the most important aspects a parent yearns for a child to achieve holistic growth and development.  A good environment also provides children with the opportunities to thrive.

Norma Marco, 47, balanced her dual roles as a child development worker and dedicated community volunteer of Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan—Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services (KALAHI-CIDSS), a program of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) that uses the Community-Driven Development (CDD) approach to uplift community.

“Ang aking dedikasyon at serbisyo sa Barangay Pamukid ay nagdulot ng positibong epekto hindi lamang sa akin kundi pati na rin sa buong komunidad,” Norma explained.

(My dedication and service for Barangay Pamukid brought positive effect not only in me but also to the whole community.)

Balancing two challenging jobs at once is not without its difficulties. According to Norma, she faced challenges as part of the procurement team during the implementation of the Level II Water System funded under the KALAHI-CIDSS Philippine Multisectoral Nutrition Project (PMNP). One of its challenges is to search for contractors who are willing to bid for the services and supplies of the subproject.

“Ngunit kahit ganito ang aming dinaanan, kami ay nagpursige upang matuto at makatulong sa pagbuo ng proyekto,” she added.

(Despite the challenges we encountered, we persevered to learn and help in implementing the project.)

Even though Norma and her co-volunteers faced some problems, she is proud that they completed the water system subproject that benefited 121 households in their community.

“Para sa akin, ang pagtulong ay hindi nasusuklian ng salapi bagkos ang pagod at sakrispisyo ng mga volunteers ang isang rason upang magpatuloy bilang isang mamamayang handang tumulong,” she shared.

(For me, helping others cannot be exchanged for money, but the volunteer’s effort and sacrifices are among the reasons to continue as a citizen who is ready to offer assistance.)

Despite supervising 42 students from 8 AM to 10 AM and 1 PM to 3 PM, the volunteer successfully balances her role as a child development worker with her community volunteer commitments.

Norma also believes that through KALAHI-CIDSS, they have achieved their dreams for the community.

“Sa pamamagitan ng KALAHI-CIDSS, nakakamit namin ang pangarap sa pamamagitan ng partisipatibong pamamahala at pakikilahok ng komunidad sa pagpaplano, pagpapatupad, at pagsusuri ng mga proyekto,” she said.

(With the help of KALAHI-CIDSS, we were able to realize our goals by involving the community in managing, planning, implementing, and monitoring projects.)

Norma’s commitment to her community extends beyond obligation. She envisions a future where her community’s children have access to quality education and a supportive environment.

“Ang aming karanasan sa KALAHI-CIDSS ay nagbigay sa amin ng mga kasanayan at kakayahan upang pamahalaan ang mga proyekto at makabuo ng mas matatag na komunidad na may kakayahan sa pangangalaga at pagpapaunlad ng sariling lugar,” she concluded.

(Our experiences with KALAHI-CIDSS have equipped us with skills and the ability to oversee projects and create a strong community with the capacity to protect and develop the environment.)