15 OCT 2011 – Rain has just passed and the sun was out in all its mighty glory. On this day, our stoked traveler is given another chance to give back to the society.
Through the combined efforts of iHOME-GMM, formerly greater metro manila habitat for humanity, and Inspire@HP, volunteers gathered in Tandang Manang, Valenzuela. This is to continue what started as a strenuous home building activity to now a less tasking application of the finishing touches through white paint.
 |
| The stoked painter with Inspire@HP volunteers |
To our stoked traveler this isn’t exactly one of those adventures where one expects to see nature and scenic sights in its grandeur. It is actually the opposite. Nonetheless, it is one of those tasks that alone he will never get a chance to accomplish.
The groups coming from each of the Hewlett Packard offices arrived on site at 10AM. As soon as the stoked traveler and his van-mates stepped out, they were greeted by the blazing heat of the sun. It was painfully harsh and it was a good thing that the residents of the community set up a central tent as the command post/dining area for the volunteers.
It was running late and the group was a little behind the schedule. Inspire@hp organizers wasted no time and went thru the opening program/refreshments. As soon as everything was set, it was time to paint the houses.
Our stoked traveler (in this case stoked painter) was looking forward to getting started with the painting. Unfortunately, there was a little set back with the paint brushes and who’s to paint what house. After a few talks and moving around, he and his group finally settle to join other volunteers in painting a row of houses.
 |
| Time to paint! |
A homeowner was pleasant enough to exchange stories (even jokes) with our stoked painter and his group. He learns that the houses built are paid for by the tenants at a 10 year program. About a thousand pesos goes to the land and another thousand pesos or so goes to payment for the house every month. Roughly P2,500/month for 10 years and they get to finally own a house for themselves. Not bad for a rent-to-own scheme considering the place was approximately 30sqm.
At 4PM the group called it a day and they were sent home with warm appreciation from the community. A whole day of painting transformed what started out to be a gloomy ‘grey’ place into a bright place of ‘white’.
 |
| Homeowners applauding inspire@hp volunteers and iHome-GMM KatCo (lady in front-center) is one of the organizers from inspire@HP |
To the volunteers it may just be another day, a new experience. But to the people whose houses they built and painted, it’ll be years worth of use. Someday those white houses may be painted a livelier color (who knows) but atleast every time the people of that community looks up at one of those houses, they will remember the volunteers from inspire@hp who helped build for them the houses they are now living on. Truly an inspire-worthy activity J
To learn more about iHome-GMM visit their website:
0 Comments
