« I returned from my mission in the Philippines two months ago, heart full and eyes shining, from what truly was a magical and surreal experience.
I have always admired children for their unfailing honesty and their ability to adapt to different situations. Thinking about what I wanted to get from my upcoming year abroad, I knew I wanted to gain a skillset that would allow me to work in the service and support of children. It is thus that I stumbled upon the great CAMELEON family.
Despite this already-present respect and admiration I had for children, I did not anticipate that in just one day I could learn so many life lessons from them.
Throughout my mission, I spent a majority of my time with the 50 CAMELEON beneficiaries in Passi. Indeed, I was there in the Philippines during summer vacation to teach classes (in sports, French, and manual activities) to the 50 girls and to manage camp logistics in order to reunite 400 more from different programs. These responsibilities allowed me to interact daily with these children, to get to know them better and to offer them my knowledge.
Such close proximity was incredibly enriching for me and their smiles were the best gift they could have given me – enough to make me want to continue this experience. Today I am a parraine for two girls in CAMELEON. One of them, who I had a chance to get to know during the course of my stay, resides in the center, the second lives with her family in a community on the outskirts of Passi. Right now I am thinking about going back for a second time to the CAMELEON family.
This mission, full of wonderful memories, would not have gone as well as it did without the presence of the Philippines staff who did not hesitate to give me their full support and trust in my interventions and lessons with the children. I offer everyone my deepest thanks.
Equal thanks to my fellow volunteers for the unforgettable times we have spent together and to Laurence and Sabine without which such an experience would never have happened. These two months away from home were so incredible, surpassing all my expectations. »
Testimony from Manon, intern for Cameleon in the Philippines
