Ten ordinary women
with remarkable achievements awarded
By VIGIE BENOSA-LLORIN
April
20, 2012
QUEZON CITY –
Despite scarcity of resources and amid challenging conditions, ten
women strived to engage in laudable projects that improved the lives
of other women and girls in their communities. These ordinary women
were given recognition for their remarkable achievements during the
Unsung Women Heroes Awards 2012 held 19 April 2012.
A yearly event
spearheaded by Soroptimist International of the Philippines Region (SIPR),
Unsung Women Heroes Awards recognizes women who made it their life’s
work to uplift the well-being of other women and girls in the
communities without fanfare but with great fervor.
Vivian Mausisa Bañados
called the “barangay mother” is available 24/7 to everyone in need.
Despite having seven children of her own to support, she found time to
enhance her capacities by attending seminars and joining the Ladies
Brigade. She has evolved into an effective health worker and trusted
community organizer.
Sulficia Delgado was
abandoned by her husband. With strong determination and faith in God,
she rose up to the challenge and was able to support her five
children. Equipped with the knowledge and skills she learned from the
community organizing training that she attended she founded an
organization of 80 abandoned women whose mission is to improve their
lives and to empower them.
Nerissa Aloot Gonzales
got out of prostitution and set up the organization that educates
women survivors of prostitution and helps them find other sources of
livelihood. Determined and unafraid, she became the brave face of
women survivors of prostitution that helped push for the passage of
the anti-prostitution bill in Congress.
Emma Leynes Atendido,
a farmer’s wife and sari-sari store owner in Cabanatuan City, assists
sick neighbors and helps them get hospitalization and welfare aid.
A woman from an
indigenous tribe in Bontoc,
Mountain
Province,
Mary Jane Fag-Ayan Lisking exemplifies the best volunteer worker in
the Philippines. Her interest is focused on health services; primary
eye care, children’s health and childhood diseases, the blind and the
deaf-mute and serious citizens suffering from various health problems.
Eleanor de Lara
Nicolas was born with myopic degeneration or the gradual loss of
eyesight. She went completely blind in 2006 but despite her
condition, works as massage therapist and is the sole breadwinner of
the family. On top of that, she still finds time to teach catechism to
children in the nearby school.
Others find teaching
children with disabilities an impossible task, but Wilhelmina Nuestro
took up the challenge. Others may embrace the job for fabulous fee,
but Wilhelmina works only as volunteer. She finds satisfaction when
the children respond to her teachings.
Angelina M. Reyes was
voted president of the National Council of Women in Plaridel. She
spearheaded a livelihood program that helped many women become
financially independent.
Juliet Versoza devoted
the past twenty-one years of her life helping a community in San Jose,
Navotas City. By organizing a group of mothers, Juliet helped them
learn reading and writing. Another organization she spearheaded is the
Samahan ng Mahihirap ng Bagong Silang that raised funds and helped
improve their barangay road and provided the street lights.
Blecenda Miranda-Varona
chose to leave her lucrative job in US to share her expertise as a
nutritionist and dietician to her countrymen. She gives free seminars,
lectures and workshops on nutrition and healthy living. She has
written books and educational materials on healthy living and
continues her work for free so that her countrymen will attain healthy
mind, body and soul.
Paying tribute to
many selfless volunteers, working at the grassroots level and the
disadvantaged sector, SIPR Unsung Women Heroes Awards hope to inspire
other women to pursue similar paths of leadership, commitment and
creativity to make this world a better place.