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“Noong nalaman ko ang sakit ko, nasabi ko kaagad sa sarili ko na hindi ako pwedeng tumigil sa paghahanap-buhay.”

A single mother, a house helper, and a Parent Leader, Nanay Ermilyn Molina made sure that she could provide all her daughters’ needs. She used to be a launderer, washing clothes from four different households a day. But soon after she gave birth to her youngest daughter, now 10 years old, Nanay Ermilyn developed hyperthyroidism that eventually led to her massive loss of weight.         

In 2008, with the father of the house slowly being estranged from his own family, Nanay Ermilita continued living with her four daughters in mind and chose to wait until they can afford for her treatments. Nanay Ermilita with tears in her eyes shared,

 “Naawa po ako sa sarili ko noon. Dahil kahit dati pa, parang ako lang talaga ang may gustong maging maayos ang bahay namin. Parang ako na lang ang may gustong guminhawa ang buhay namin. Sumabay pa po na nalaman kong may sakit ako at nag-aaral ang aking mga anak na wala akong katulong.”

From the eyes of a child, Ahyin, third of the siblings, is determined to make her family proud and prove how life shaped her and her family through the years. A consistent Top 1 student since kinder, Ahyin, with her old and baggy school uniforms, started her High School with a heavy heart, having classmates who teased her behind her back.

 “Nung grade 7 po ako, ang sinusuot ko

 po ay bigay lang na uniform. Hanggang

isang araw po may nagkuwento sakin na

pinag-uusapan daw po ako ng iba. Bakit

daw ganun yung mga suot ko. Ang

papanget nung damit ko, ang laki sakin.”

She admitted how hard it was for her to be laughed at by her rivals at school. Since she always made it to top spot of the class, her classmates made her an easy target for teasing. But Ahyin, now in Grade 10, shared her learnings on the bullying,

“Dapat huwag mong pakinggan yung mga taong gusto ka lang ibaba. Patunayan mo sa kanila na hindi ka pa rin susuko.”

Seeing how hard life was for them, especially when their father left them for good and her mother has been battling her illness, Ahyin recalled,

“Nalungkot po talaga ako nung naghiwalay na sila. Nakita ko po yung nanay ko na umiiyak sya, hirap na siya, at nagkasakit pa siya na naging sobrang payat niya. Naaawa po ako dahil mag-isa na lang po siya para samin. Noon din po ako nagdesisyon na magsipag sa pag-aaral, hanggang sa makatapos at makapagtrabaho para sa kaniya.”

With the close-knit relationship built among the members of their small family, Nanay Ermilita is proud how even her daughters worked hard to have a better life and survive their struggles.

 “Noong September, si Ahyin ay

 nanalo sa isang contest at nanalo ng

 PhP 9,000.00 tapos tuluy-tuloy naman

 ang pagpapadala ng pera ng isa kong

 anak na wala pang asawa.

 Malaking tulong din po ang honorarium

 bilang PL. Dahil sa pinagsama-samang

pagsisikap po, last week ay naipaayos

 na po ang aming bahay.”