“SILENT REVOLUTION”

By: Lowell G. Traiso

Noble, dignified and righteous, there are some of the virtues of people working in non governmental organizations whose mission are either to save lives, promote education, control deceases, ending wars and uplifting lives or helping people getting out of poverty.

This is the lives and stories of people working for a foundation that aims to lessen poverty thru microfinance. Microfinance thru using the methods of Grameen Bank from Bangladesh is one of the most successful lending method for poor women who intend to get out from poverty. It is a silent revolution that slowly but a certain technique in empowering women. Making them responsible for the destiny of their families. The success of Grameen Bank and its replicators can be felt all over the world. From Africa, Eastern Europe, Latin America and Asia .

But making a successful microfinance institution unit is never easy. It takes a lot of focus, wisdom and a lot of hard work and even a lot of tears. And these were the qualities of the Staffs of PD – Roxas. The sustainability of the Branch is the product of the utmost dedications and unwavering loyalty of the staffs.

Alvin, the branch manager seems to have the body of a machine, it never get tired. Waking up early and making sure that his XRM Honda motorcycle is in condition, before eight struck he is already on the road braving bad roads and the heat of the sun, visiting centers and clients and making sure that the program is going fine. Once, we had been together, waking as early as 3 AM, and were already at the road 30 minutes after, fearlessly traversing the dark roads from Roxas to Taytay and then from Taytay to Brgy Teresita and then by boat, praying all the way that the boat will not capsized as it struggled against the waves on our way to the municipality of Dumaran. We don’t know how many miles we traveled but we can feel the distance. On our way home, we are again confronted with unfamiliar roads, cold, darkness and the feeling that some strange creatures will suddenly appear on the roads blocking our way and scaring us to death. These are the familiar situations Alvin faces every day and in spite of it, Alvin is still in charge of his branch, making sure that its branch is on its way on reducing more poverty.

Geraldine , the branch cashier, I don’t know where she gets her energy, she’s almost working 20 hours a day, maybe sleeping only because the human body needs sleep to survive. I wonder how she managed her work going to Taytay and Roxas, making sure that the cash were properly accounted. It keeps me thinking that despite of her enormous work she can still manage to grin and always have the hand to help for the success of the project.

There’s Maricar, the branch encoder, always smart and always on time with her work. A woman who gets bored when there is nothing to do. She is a woman of perfection and, always devoted with her work. She never sleeps, always willing to extend her time until the last bit of her work is completed.

And of course there is, Maureen, Irish, Karen, Rolando, Hart, Nelson, Ariel and Eric, unsung heroes, the main force of the project. In their work there is no bad weather, there is no rainy season, there is no scorching heat of the sun, all is good weather because what ever happens to the weather they have to be with their clients. There is neither near nor far, there is no bad roads, whatever, whenever, where ever they have to fulfilled their duties, there are no dangerous roads or dangerous place, it will not hinder them, because even lives are to be sacrificed when necessary, they are more than soldiers because they never carry guns nor wear any armor, their only weapon is their genuine faith and responsibility to reduce poverty and to be of great help to their respective families.

Working with an NGO to reduce poverty sometimes has its moment of feeling alone, away from their families, from people dearest to them, for sure the feeling have become a force in forging deeper friendship within the staffs, there is much time of togetherness as well as there are also times of loneliness, and it cannot be avoided to shed tears once in a while knowing that in every tear hundreds of women were given a chance to rise up from poverty, every tear gives engine to the silent revolution that is taking place, and Alvin, Geraldine, Maricar, Maureen, Irish, Karen, Rolando, Hart, Nelson, Ariel and Eric is part of that revolution. A revolution that comes with their heart, a commitment to end poverty.

Microfinance had gone a long way. Grameen Foundation and Prof. Mohammad Yunus already win the Nobel Peace Prize, there many more awards and recognition that are waiting, many more poor women will rise from the ruins of poverty, and PD – Roxas will always be there to make its noble contribution.

( PD – Roxas Branch is one of the most successful microfinance institution in Palawan, covering the Municipality of Roxas, San Vicente, Taytay and the picturesque Municipality of El Nido )