It is already a mother’s joy to see her family complete, living in the lovingly corners of their home. It is also a wife’s pride to share the same dreams with her husband and reaching for it little by little. Rechelda “Daday” Vargas may be at its peak living her ideal family setting. But problems do come and stubbornly seeps through this reality, which turned the whole situation upside down.

Daday is a 55 year old single mother living at Brgy. San Vicente, Buenavista, Quezon. She has rendered her service twice for the Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan-Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services (KALAHI-CIDSS) projects at their community. Before she became a volunteer, Daday faced great challenges in her life.

Wheel of fate

Back when her family was still complete, Daday devotedly fulfills her duty as a mother and a housewife. She helps her husband in farm activities like planting corn and feeding farm animals. They bought their own parcel of land and a jeepney for transportation of goods to ensure source of income for their children’s needs. However, temptations do come in a man’s life that can sweep away his priorities, even his own family. Daday’s husband unfortunately fell into this deceptive trap and had an affair with one of the vendors at the market.

“Noong una, tiniis ko muna ang aking asawa dahil ayokong lumaki ang mga anak ko ng walang ama. Pero paulit-ulit niya pa rin ginawa kaya napagdesisyunan ko ng hiwalayan siya.” Daday shared.

Revival of self-worth

Daday said she underwent too much depression. But looking at her nine kids is enough inspiration to go on and find a job. Having the opportunity to work outside their home exposed her to meet new acquaintances within their community. She even began to involve herself more to barangay activities to be distracted from the sufferings she felt because of her husband’s betrayal. Daday became active in the barangay and eventually had the opportunity to be a part of the Barangay Representation Team for the farm to market road project of KALAHI-CIDSS at their community.

As a KALAHI-CIDSS volunteer, she was inspired by the program’s practice of consulting people’s opinions and insights. She realized that anyone can voice out their ideas for the development of their community and participation is vital to achieve it. Bringing these ideals, she suggested for a complete electrification in their community to lighten up dark roads and prevent crimes around the place.

“Dahil kasi sa kawalan ng kuryente sa ibang parte ng barangay, nagkakaroon ng nakawan at panloloob ng bahay. Kung minsan ay nagkakaroon pa ng patayan. Kung magkakaroon lang ng ilaw sa daan at kabahayan, maaaring maiwasan ang mga ito,” Daday firmly said.

Having the same sentiments as hers, the community elected her as the Barangay Sub-Project Management Committee Head for the electrification project.

Reflection of the renewed self

Because of her involvement in the projects, Daday said that she was very thankful for having the chance to explore what she can do other than being a mother and a plain housewife. Before, she’s not particular with her looks since she is always inside their house, doing household chores and taking care of her kids. But now that she’s exposed to a lot of people and converses with them, she learned how to present herself well inside and out. She affirmed that these experiences helped her gain self-confidence.

These improvements in herself were also noticed by her friends and neighbors around San Vicente. They shared,“Dati hindi nag-aayos yan si Daday. Masyado kasing busy sa pag-aalaga ng mga anak niya at nasa loob lang lagi ng bahay. Ngayon, nagbago na talaga siya. Natutunan na niyang pahalagahan ang sarili niya. Bukod doon ay nagawa niya pang maglingkod at tumulong sa ibang kapwa.”

They are glad that Daday didn’t dwell much on her separation with her husband and instead stood up for herself and her nine children. They admired how she became a better person while still keeping her feet on the ground.

In return, Daday is very grateful to these people. “Malaki ang utang na loob ko sa mga taong nakahalubilo ko, sa mga taga-San Vicente, maging sa mga kasama ko sa KALAHI-CIDSS dahil naging malaking parte sila sa pagbabago ng aking sarili.”

Daday’s motherly instincts to provide a good life for her children widely glowed until it embraced the whole community. Indeed, a mother’s love is enough to influence and change others’ lives.with reports fromYR. DelMoro***