“As God has not made anything useless in this world, as all beings fulfill obligations or a role in the sublime drama of Creation, I cannot exempt from this duty, and small though it be, I too have a mission to fill, as for example: alleviating the sufferings of my fellowmen.” –Dr. Jose Rizal
Whatever you do good now does not only make an impact today. It could have a rifling effect on the future. And we are not just talking about the community you are helping or the particular cause or beneficiary you are devoting your efforts to. We are also talking about you.
Volunteering went mainstream the last couple of years, when helping out and reaching out to the needy took on different faces. Many people found opportunities to share a portion of their time and treasure in the most convenient manner, minus the tight holds or long-term commitments.
TheOneHourProject facilitates ad hoc volunteering at its best, matching on demand tasks with make-do volunteers. It does not matter if they only have an hour a day to do a good deed because TheOneHourProject partners demand nothing more, sometimes even less. For they believe every task done for the greater good is essential and relevant even for generations to come. They adhere to quality over quantity, always.
BINHI English Literacy Foundation is one of TheOneHourProject’s prized non-profit partners, built around a vision to elevate the underprivileged Filipino children who barely had access to a decent English language program that will empower them to realize their full potential. It was a vision inspired by the national hero, Dr. Jose P. Rizal, who happens to be the great grand-uncle of BINHI founder Lisa T. Bayot.
Bayot also advocates to promote the values of Rizal, “Because like him, I believe that youth is the hope of our future and with rediscovering Rizal, we can see that his teachings are still valuable at present.”
“Volunteering is a commitment and not a pastime.” –Mhellai Mateo, BINHI Program Manager
Volunteering brings about a journey that unfolds the moment you decide to impart a fraction of your time to a good deed, no matter what it may be.
Dedicated BINHI workers believe that more than doing good for other people, volunteering is all about passion, empowerment, commitment, and service. They knew this because their job at BINHI always requires dedication to some degree. It’s not something you do when you do not have anything to do. Rather, it is something you devote your time to because your heart passionately believes the Filipino children enlisted in the program deserve access to quality education.
“Volunteers form the backbone of the organization,” Bayot believes. And it is sometimes not enough that people enlist to make a difference but because they believe in the advocacy. It’s the fuel that helped steer the organization past the Covid-19 challenges. They developed blended learning techniques and modified kits to get around community quarantine measures imposed by the government. Thankfully, their efforts turned in even more fantastic results.
“Seeing the individual progress of our scholars–from being timid, non-responsive, and unable to read to being active, participative, and able to read or recognize words [is the best reward]. –Jane Abrot, BINHI Program Coordinator
It takes a lot of hard work whether you are an ad hoc or full-time volunteer. Let’s face it. There are some tasks involved, usually on top of everything else you are busy with. But none of those efforts go to waste. Bayot and her passionate volunteers find satisfaction seeing how their students are making an improvement, especially in gaining such confidence as they progress with their lessons.
“Volunteering for the first time might be daunting but choosing an organization that matches your skills and the values you believe in can help.” –Giselle Fernandez, BINHI Program Coordinator
These days, it is no longer a question whether to volunteer or not. It is not about how much you can give or offer. Even a small amount of effort offered generously is always more than enough. So go get a start. TheOneHourProject is here to back you up!
About BINHI
BINHI English Literacy Foundation is a non-government organization founded in 2008, focused on the worsening learning poverty in the Philippines. They seek to help children aged 5-11 who are below the reading standards for their grade level by facilitating a learning tool kit that will enhance their reading and comprehension skills.
Binhi Needs You!
Binhi constantly needs a stream of test facilitators who man the pretests to check on the progress of their students. Check out the BINHI website for more details.
