On October 1, 2019, Cartwheel gratefully commemorated its 20th founding anniversary. That’s two full decades of inspiring growth, sharing stories, nurturing culture with and for Filipino Indigenous Peoples!

Along the journey, a wide circle of partners has graciously accompanied us and helped sustain our work in nation-building all these many years. Here are but a handful of stories from those whose lives have become witness to the countless good fruits our shared mission has enabled to grow.

 

Leoben Abella

Leoben Abella of the Tagbanua tribe in Culion, Palawan was among the first enrollees when Cartwheel’s program for young learners opened in their community in 2012. Here, he shares why he has persistently kept on continuing learning from then until now:

(“Because of Cartwheel, I learned to read. I did not know how to read before. Now I know how to read and write. This is important to keep away from those who abuse us.”)

 

Richel Daonlay

Richel Daonlay is among the first batch of Young Indigenous Peoples (YIP) Leaders Program grantees from Pamulaan Center for Indigenous Peoples’ Education. She completed her degree in Elementary Education, graduating as their batch valedictorian.

She recounts where she came from, what she’s been through, and where she is now with a humble, grateful, and happy heart, in the service of her fellow Indigenous Peoples:

 

Chrislyn Daaw

Chrislyn Daaw of the Dibabawon-Mangguangan tribe served her fellow Indigenous Peoples as a volunteer Project Development Associate of Cartwheel who immersed with the Tagbanua community for one year. Here is among the most important things she learned from her journey with them:

(“No matter how small, so long as we’re ready to share our time, we are able to give joy to our fellow people. Joy is not always found in material things alone; it is in giving our time to be there for and with others.”)

 

Juana

Juana (not her real name) is among the Tagbanua tribe who live in the islands of Culion, Palawan. She was among Cartwheel’s most determined adult learners. When the program began in her area in 2011, she would take her young toddler to class with her. To this day, she continues to encourage her fellow Tagbanua to value education and give importance to their identity as Indigenous Peoples:

(“What I remind my children again and again is that education is what I will leave with them, so they ought to give importance to it. They also shouldn’t forget our culture because we inherited this from our ancestors.”)

 

Sahlie Resullar

Sahlie Resullar served as teacher to the young Bajau learners of Lucena, Quezon for seven years. She looks back at those years with much gratitude, humbly recognizing how much she also learned in the process of helping others achieve learning too:

(“Thank you very much Cartwheel for giving me knowledge about the IPs–the Bajaus, Tagbanua, Higaonons, Aetas, etc. Though we may have different cultures and traditions, beliefs and religions, one blood runs through our veins — Filipino blood.”)

 

Relinda Montimor

Relinda Montimor has been selfless in her service to her fellow Bajau ever since their community was displaced by the Zamboanga Siege of 2013. Her dedication has not waned since then. To this day, she multiplies good as a teacher and community leader, remaining rooted in her proud Bajau identity:

(“Here I am now, ready to serve and share my knowledge to the best of my ability. I am proud of myself: I am no longer shy and afraid, no longer silent, I now have my own voice. I don’t hide my identity anymore; I am able to show pride for my tribe and show everyone that I am a good teacher.

“I love my teaching. I am able to help many children, and there are many others who still want to learn.”)

 

Gina Alfonso

Gina Alfonso began Cartwheel twenty years ago in a life-changing visit to the Talaandig community of Miarayon, Bukidnon. Then and now, her heart has always been that of a teacher–holding fellow teachers and the learners they serve near and dear. She tells about how her shared journey with the Indigenous Peoples has ignited a fire within the teacher in her to keep on in reaching out wholeheartedly to many others:

 

With deep gratitude and profound joy, we find strength within each other to carry on!

#KwentongKatutubo #KwentoNgPagtubo #Cartwheelat20