Students
of Diasan Elementary School in Echague, Isabela celebrate after receiving their
new pair of shoes.
Shoes are essential in one’s journey through life, especially for students. With a pair of good shoes, they will not only be able to fulfill their daily tasks with ease, but it can also inspire them to work hard and take little steps to achieve their dream.
For most students in the city, a school bus
or a stroll down the sidewalk are their usual commute. But for students in the
province, it is a different story.
Samantha, a student from the Diasan
Elementary School, shared the hardships she and her classmates face to reach school.
“Malayo
po ang nilalakad namin ng nakapaa. Madulas po ‘pag umuulan at mahirap, maputik
ang daan. ‘Yung mga iba po na nakatira sa may bundok, naglalakad po sila ng
malayo. (My classmates and I have to walk a long way to get to our school.
When the rainy season comes, the slopes become slippery and dangerous which
makes it harder for us. The others who live near the mountain walk even farther),”
Samantha said.
Diasan Elementary School is tucked in the
middle of the Barangay Diasan, a remote farming community in Isabela with over
600 residents. Students like Samantha have to walk an hour or more on rough
terrain to get to and from school and
are sometimes forced to skip classes if the river is swollen due to heavy
rains.
Despite
the challenges, one would be surprised at the great lengths they are willing to
go to for their education. The simple gift of a new
pair of shoes will allow them to walk to and back to school in comfort and safety.
These are the kinds of stories that inspired
the SM Store’s Share Shoes program to reach to the community to continue its
mission of bringing joy - through the gift of shoes that can help make the
journey of the students easier and more comfortable.
Sharing
the gift of new shoes
Most students in Diasan have not set foot
in a mall before, let alone a shop selling shoes, so as a treat for the kids, employee
volunteers from The SM Store, Savemore and SM Foundation transformed one of the
classrooms into a shoe store. They assisted the kids in choosing and fitting
their very own shoes from the display of clogs, sneakers, sandals, flats and
slip-ons donated by The SM Store MLC Shoes and Bags, and SM’s retail affiliates
Crocs and Simply Shoes.
The employee and community volunteers also
set up a “Feet Washing Corner” before the shoe fitting to impart the importance
of taking care of one’s feet. The kids could not hide their joy as they
selected and tried on their new footwear.
Apart from receiving new shoes, the kids
were treated to fun games and groceries from Savemore. The kids even gamely
participated in a Zumba dance number led by The SM Store Cauayan employee
volunteers. Wearing their new pairs of shoes, the kids enjoyed the activities
knowing their feet were comfortable and secure.
Taking
steps to a brighter future
Samantha said that having a pair of shoes
is important to protect their feet from injuries.
“Masaya po ako nu’ng nakita ko ‘yung mga
kaibigan ko na suot na nila ‘yung sapatos kasi ‘di na sila mahihirapan maglakad
ng isang oras papunta ng iskul (I was so happy to see my friends wearing
their shoes because now, they won’t have a hard time walking an hour to school),”
Samantha said.
Teacher in charge Domenador Mayuyo Jr. shared
that for some of the kids, it was their first time to own a pair of shoes, with
many of them walking to school wearing slippers or barefoot.
“It’s the first time for some of our
students to receive a pair of shoes. Having a new pair of shoes is like a dream
come true for them. It is a blessing for them to receive new pair of shoes that
they can use to go to school,” Mayuyo said.
Through the gift of new shoes, The SM Store
hopes to inspire these kids to take those important steps toward achieving
their goals.
Promoting
the culture of sharing and purposeful giving
The shoe
donation was also accompanied by a medical mission through the partnership of The SM Store with the SM Foundation, Caritas Philippines and the
Diocesan Social Action Center of Ilagan. Residents of the community were able
to avail of medical and dental consultations, laboratory works, and had X-ray
and ECG examinations, and medicines courtesy of the SM Foundation’s Mobile
Clinic, all for free.
The activity was a part of the SM Share
Movement, a program promoting a culture of sharing and purposeful giving among
SM shoppers all year long. Since 2015, the SM Share Movement has collected over
1.3 million donations composed of shoes, clothing, books, school kits, disaster
kits and toys.
The SM Store’s Share Shoes program
encourages its shoppers to donate brand new and pre-loved footwear not just to
help kids walk safely and reach their desired destinations, but to also inspire
them to take important steps toward achieving their goals.
“We would like to thank all the shoppers
and our partners who donated and participated in The SM Store’s Share Shoes
Movement. This wouldn’t be possible without you. Given the rough terrain and
the challenges that these students of Diasan face just to get to their school,
the new pair of shoes is a great help to them,” said Cielito Velasquez,
Assistant Branch Manager of The SM Store Cauayan.
Through the #SMShareMovement Project, the
SM Store remains committed to its promise to give back to communities and to be
a partner in their development. Through the simple but valuable gift of shoes,
they can continue to be a part of Barangay Diasan’s journey as the children
take steps toward a brighter future.
Find out more about the #SMShareMovement’s
quarterly donation drives and ways to contribute to upcoming projects, by
liking The SM Store Facebook page and by following @TheSMStore on Instagram,
Twitter, and YouTube.
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