Alicia is Wonderland!!!

The highlands of Alicia gave us more than a physical ascent; it offered a shared memory, a reminder that beauty, when pursued together, becomes a great, memorable experience. For Buchi, the grand adventure was a spark—one that lit up his imagination that hopefully will develop a strong bond with nature and a strong sense of responsibility over our environment. We are grateful for this wonderful opportunity to bond, to exercise, and most of all, to teach the young one of our collective responsibility for the wild, wonderful world he will learn to live and love in the years ahead.

Happy New Year, Everyone!!!

As we welcome the new year, I pray that we learn to bring love into each other’s hearts. Let us practice empathy before judgment; let us be present rather than perfect; let us extend grace in moments of frustration; let us express gratitude for everyday acts of goodness; and uplift others with encouragement and genuine praise. Let us learn to listen more than we debate, let us strive to learn more than we assume, and let us endeavor to love more than we fear.

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Wit Wows Wintry Montreal

Before the 300-plus delegates in the MEDA Convention, Wit articulated her struggles as a woman-farmer. Women-farmers globally face the same triple burdens: the same invisibility, the same undervaluation, the same branding as the minor partner. But they also share the same resiliency, the same strength, the same innovation, and determination to create a better future.

I Survived Mt Apo (Part 2)

Mt Apo has proved to me that the world’s most poignant stories are not always about reaching the top, but about returning with something intact, something earned, amidst the challenges one has to hurdle. It is about chasing a dream; something that will echo that craziness in me, yet has clothed me with a sense of pride for having at least tried. And if I ever forget, I will listen to the memory of the wind – the same wind that refused to yield my glorious sunrise in Apo; and instead whispered a different, humbling truth: that to live is to endure, and to endure is sometimes the bravest ascent of all.

I Survived Mt Apo!!! (Part 1)

The plan was to jump-off at midnight, and chase the sunrise that would appear if the clouds decided to yield. The world, however, was simply uncooperative. The clock ticked as the wind screamed, while light, sporadic rains started to drench our tents. Lucky for us, the rains had stopped when midnight came. We went on our way; but the wind sang hoarsely like a chorus of knives. Still, we trudged on; even as the terrain, the cold, the dark, the strong winds – and my bum stomach – were all clearly aligned against us.

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