In July 2024, our team of 22 members from Welfare Services Club – Overseas Volunteering Expedition, embarked on a life-changing trip to Pangasinan, Philippines to teach and construct in Malokiat Elementary School. We taught lessons ranging from public speaking to environmental awareness, to village children ranging from 1 to 11 years old, while helping in the construction of a new toilet wing. Accompanying us on our journey were high school students from YMCA Pangasinan, who gracefully educated us on many cultural norms and helped ease the transition process into the beautiful tightknit community of Malokiat.
There were countless firsts for many of us, with new food, new routines, and a completely different environment to adjust to. Facing these together helped us come out stronger, and the Filipino way of life is something we will forever hold close to our hearts.
Unfortunately, typhoon Carina passed by the region in the latter half of the trip, throwing a wrench into our plans. As the weather conditions worsened, our Filipino counterparts worked overtime to ensure our safety and comfort, updating us as fast as they could. As most of us were fortunate enough to grow up in Singapore for most of our lives, it was largely our first time experiencing the aftereffects of a natural disaster. This unexpected hurdle brought us closer than ever before, since everyone was in this together. We worked hand in hand with the Filipinos to adapt and ensure our service plans could continue as planned despite the lower student attendance and changed living conditions.
Ending off with the Singapore Food Festival Farewell felt particularly bittersweet as our host families trekked and biked across flooded roads and fields to taste our carefully prepared dishes, sweetened with gratitude – curing many of our homesickness as well. Overall, the trip was definitely a core memory for all of us. Everyone left a changed person – and many of us are contemplating coming back, just to experience this again. We are very excited to see where OVE goes next!
I feel particularly blessed to have the opportunity to lead such a wonderful group of people, and to work alongside with such capable and amazing leaders, both in Singapore and the Philippines. Thanks to them, not only was I able to give effectively, I also took home so much. Every YEP trip embarked on never fails to leave me with new lessons learnt, and more importantly, new friends! Thank you, everyone, for making my undergraduate journey so fulfilling. Ninette Goh, YEP Leader and Head of Publicity & Publications
About Project Kapwa
Project Kapwa is spearheaded by Welfare Services Club – Overseas Volunteer Expedition (WSC OVE). Founded in 2003, WSC OVE allow students to expand their worldview through volunteering in places around the world. To date, the impact of the club can be felt in countries such as Taiwan, Cambodia, Thailand, Vietnam, and most recently the Philippines. Although our focus is on helping those in need through overseas volunteering efforts, we also conduct monthly visits to local institutions to give back to the Singapore community. At OVE, our goal is to “Reaching Out And Up As One”.
