A PRESENCE THAT MAKES A DIFFERENCE

OND HESED FOUNDATION, INC.
2008 ANNUAL REPORT
PRESENTED TO THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF INCORPORATORS 2009


A PRESENCE THAT MAKES A DFFERENCE

“ Undertake initiatives of creating opportunities towards peace and sustainable development of peoples and environment” thus says the strategic direction of OND HESED Foundation. This provides the staff the impetus towards achieving the institutional goals and at the same time enabling them to be transformed in the process.

The rice crisis of 2008 stirred panic among the urban and rural poor seeking out staple food to ease their hunger. This situation did not spare the people in the upland. However, the ongoing Food-Always-In-The-Home project, which was launched long before the said crisis, has served as a buffer thus mitigating the impact of hunger among the TAMASCO and AREIP households in Barangay Ned, Lake Sebu, South Cotabato. The taro (gabi), vegetables and peanuts grown in their backyard, were timely interventions that have eased their hunger. As one mother in Datal Bonglangon would put it: “We are no longer hungry but still our children will not go to school with taro as their ‘balon’. The children of the Bisaya look down at them eating only taro.” The project seemed to have saved them from the pangs of hunger, but their experience of cultural discrimination continues, even at the early stage of the IP children’s development.

Indeed, this anecdotal story clearly demonstrates the cultural discrimination and economic marginalization that the IPs suffer in the hinterlands. While the Food-Always-In-The-Home (Faith concept) may have creatively restored in them the indigenous way of responding to hunger, seemingly it did not generate change in the way that the wider community treats them. The dominance of the lowland culture continues to dwarf the IP’s indigenous culture even at the level of children. This condescending behaviour of the non-IP children towards the IP children may later affect the way IP will look and value the indigenous food vis-a-vis the “best food” in the market.

During the general assembly of HESED personnel, there was a sharing on how much travel time is spent and its difficulties reaching the far flung areas. In one area, the farthest, one will spend four (4) hours walk to reach the project site. The walk is not easy because the staff has to bring food supplies good for 22 days. A question was raised: “Why do we have to go there? Why not look for communities that are nearer and easier to reach? Two or three staff responded that – “HESED’s working charism says it all: “that we go to places where no one dares.” The marginalized people are in the far flung areas as the preferred people to be served by the institution.

This simple conversation provides an “image” of how the HESED personnel have indeed interiorized the basic principle that it promotes. Their willingness to spend 22 days away from their families is a manifestation of how OND HESED’s strategic direction and its operating principles are influencing the lives of these people. This indeed is the backbone of our institutional affectivity and efficiency – the challenging impact of a challenging slogan of “a presence that makes a difference.” A ripple of commitment that may bring hope to the seemingly hopeless situation – a hope against hope.

A year ago, one funding partner shared that the zero mortality and morbidity of Barangay Tapian, Datu Odin Sinsuat, Shariff Kubunsuan Province from water borne diseases was their selected impact of the month for their country program. This was made possible through the Promotion of Culture of Peace Project that ushered in clean and safe water to the stakeholders of the three (3) coastal barangays (Badak, Kusiong and Tapian). The establishment of the two (2) BAWASAs and their continuing operation indicates that the simple people can indeed be leaders of their own people who could stir their communities into the people helping people with dignity.

HESED is doing compassion; and one that creates opportunities that makes a difference! We are therefore once again challenged by the very spirit of Hesed – compassionately creating opportunities that allows people to become and grow with dignity.