BUTUAN CITY – The Kapit Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan – Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services (Kalahi-CIDSS) of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD Caraga recently conducted the two-day Community Volunteers’ Summit last December 27-28, 2016 at VCDU Prince Hotel, here.
The activity aimed to intensify the consciousness of the volunteers on the value of volunteerism and validate their contributions in the implementation of the Community-Driven Development (CDD) program.
The highlight of the activity on their first day was the portrayal of the Community Volunteer Heroes. The participants conveyed their understanding on volunteerism through their creative representation of symbolic heroes. The said activity was facilitated by Eunice M. Plaza, Regional Information Officer.
On the summit’s second day, Marko Davey D. Reyes, Social Marketing Officer for Kalahi-CIDSS, challenged the participants on the value and importance of Community Volunteerism. He expressed the program’s appreciation to all community volunteers for their untiring and strong support for the implementation of projects, maintenance and measures to ensure sustainability.
Kalahi-CIDSS Regional Program Manager Mita Chuchi G. Lim said, “We need to constantly validate the community volunteers’ efforts. Their huge roles and impact on attaining positive change should be given importance and utmost commendation.”
“These are ordinary people doing extraordinary things. Our vision will forever remain as vision without them,” she added.
In response, the volunteers were given an opportunity to share their insights and experiences as Kalahi-CIDSS Community Volunteers. They considered the summit as an opportunity to provide inputs to improve the methods for implementation, avoid, minimize or totally eradicate possible down sides. They have also expressed their gratitude to the program for providing assistance for their communities to enjoy services they have long dreamt of.
“Dili masukod ang amo kalipay sukad nakita namu ang resulta sa amo pagpaningkamot. Mao nga isip community volunteer, dili mi magpadaog sa kakapoy. Padayun gihapon kami sa pagtinabangay,” said Marilyn V. Loderos, Barangay Sub-project Management Committee Chair of Brgy. San Pedro, Alegria, Surigao del Norte.
Upon the summit’s conclusion, the community volunteers grasped the affirmation that volunteering is about giving, contributing, and helping other individuals and the community at large.
The summit wrapped up with all participants pledged to continue supporting and keep the spirit of community volunteerism undeterred for the next sub-projects to come along.
