This month’s Rotary theme is Community Economic Development. Lennard Tayco shares a wonderful example of how Centennial Rotary’s support helped a simple Christmas project grow into something much bigger.
Four years after completing my Rotary Youth Exchange year, during which the Rotary Club of Centennial was my host club, I was fortunate and had the opportunity to become President of the Rotaract Club of the University of Santo Tomas – AB Chapter for R.Y. 2016–2017. As I planned projects for my term, I thought, Why not partner with Centennial Rotary Club and bring the Santa Clothes project to the Philippines?
Our university assigned us to Nagcarlan, a small mountain town in Laguna, for our main community development project. Reaching the community required about an hour on good roads, followed by another hour and a half to two hours on considerably rougher roads. Our initial plan was to bring the Santa Clothes concept to the community and provide the children with supplemental education in English, Arts, and Music, areas where we identified gaps in their educational opportunities. Our student members would facilitate the program, culminating in a Santa Clothes shopping experience and Christmas celebration.
As we learned more about the community, however, we discovered that many parents were deeply indebted to informal lenders, including loan sharks, and were unfamiliar with basic financial concepts such as the difference between needs and wants. We realized that we needed to involve the parents as well.
We developed a parallel three-phase program covering needs and wants, an introduction to microfinance, and smart parenting. With the help of our university, we invited professors to facilitate the sessions and share their expertise.
For the final phase, we brought the children to a shopping mall in the nearest city. For some, it was their first time ever visiting a mall. They were able to choose their own Christmas gifts through the Santa Clothes experience, followed by a Christmas party at Jollibee, one of the Philippines' most popular fast-food chains.
The parents initially thought they were simply accompanying their children. At the end of the celebration, however, we surprised them with Christmas baskets filled with food for their families' Christmas dinner. Their reactions were priceless.
Looking back, what made the project especially meaningful was how it grew from a simple Christmas project into a broader community development initiative. We combined immediate assistance with education in financial awareness, parenting, and practical skills that could benefit the families beyond the project itself.
None of this would have been possible without the generosity and support of the Rotary Club of Centennial, as well as the approval of the Club Board and Foundation.
I am especially grateful to John Berry, who was my primary point of contact, and to the mystery donor whose identity I eventually discovered: our now-President, Katherine. What started as an idea to bring Santa Clothes to the Philippines became one of the Rotary experiences I continue to look back on most fondly.
Lennard Tayco