Mountaineers with a cause

MANILA, Philippines - A common rule for most trekkers is “leave no trace” – not leaving behind any trash at the site and preserving the untouched beauty of the places they go to. Kelly Austria and her group of mountaineers, however, make sure they leave behind traces of kindness wherever they go, leaving the place better than when they came. Harnessing their love for travel, they bring school supplies, backpacks and books to children in need in remote, hard-to-reach areas under the pro-ject called Trails to Empower Kids or TREK.

“We started in December 2007. That time we were very, very active in mountain climbing and on one of our hikes, in Mt. Apo, we thought about doing this,” says Austria. “It was a long activity, four days, so there were a lot of opportunities for thinking about our wishes, the things we want to do and other things. There were seven of us. It was to push our hobby to another level and give more meaning to it.”

It was a particularly special time for Austria because it was near her birthday and she was thinking of a meaningful way to celebrate it. Their plans came to fruition a month later, when the group climbed Mt. Ugo in Benguet, where they were able to coordinate with then barangay captain Norberto Pacio, who recommended a school to be their first beneficiary. TREK has been reaching out to children around the Philippines at least twice a year for almost eight years now.

“All of us look forward to every TREK because it is also like a reunion for us… Plus, of course, we get to share a meaningful activity and we always make it a point to do a side trip, for more bonding activities. So, there are a lot of beautiful places I was able to visit because of TREK.”

One of the most memorable experiences for Austria was in 2012 when they spent 10 days in Kibungan, Benguet. “We were hopping from one school to another distributing backpacks, school supplies, books, etc. It was memorable because Kibungan is so beautiful and the people are so kind. They visit us mornings to bring vegetables we can cook, even coffee. Then, at night, we get to bond with some of the locals again.”

Just like any mountain trail, the climb through TREK’s eight years has been equally challenging. “It is always difficult to raise funds but God always gives us enough for the needs of our beneficiaries. We realized that there is never a dearth of people who want to help,” says Austria. “Our most difficult challenges are those that involved logistics, like the time that the truck we borrowed conked out and we had to walk an extra eight hours to get to our jump-off point.

“We had to do our turn over ceremonies without the goods,” Austria recalls about a trip to Kalinga in 2008. “I felt the urgency of doing what we do when we visited a village in Kalinga in 2008. It was our third outreach. From afar, the village looked so perfect. It was nestled in the middle of rice terraces. We had a majestic view from our jump-off point,” she shares. “Inside the village, we saw a lot of problems. The most important was hygiene. People were getting sick because of the lack of it, all hygiene related sicknesses. They lacked comfort rooms.”

Despite these problems, Austria remembers fondly the way the locals welcomed them warmly into their homes. “They all wanted to invite us in their homes to have coffee and dinner. The highlight was when we got invited to a village meeting. There was a big rock in the middle and some of the men were standing on top. I was invited to go up to address the people gathered. I didn’t see the significance of that until they explained that to me. It was a place of honor and only the elders and those that they permit were allowed to go up there.”

Despite the hurdles, the TREK volunteers forge on with “lots of prayers and faith in God.” Austria says she is inspired by Ramon Magsaysay awardee Sr. Eva Maamo: “Do not delay help.”

The mountaineers’ efforts have gone far. Austria recalls Mayor Batara Laoat of Pudtol, Apayao saying, “Di pala kami nakahiwalay sa mundo, kasi nakarating kayo dito (We are not cut off from the world after all, since you got here).”

In 2013, in Papaya, Nueva Ecija, one of the elders said, “Sa wakas, nagkaroon na kami ng pinakamimithi naming tubig (Finally we have our greatest wish – water),” when TREK provided a kilometer-long water hose so the community could have access to clean water.

“There was a village elder in Kalinga who composed for us a poem. The moms in Kalinga rehearsed and sang a beautiful thank you song. Of course, there were all those local dances and chants. In most of the sites we went to, we were the first to visit. So, they were all very appreciative,” says Austria. “They always express that, that we were the only ones who braved the trails just to visit and help them. I think just our presence inspires communities a lot.” Austria says, it also means a lot to her when the village elders themselves show their appreciation, “especially if we see in their faces that there is renewed faith in humanity. We see a lot of hopeless faces.”

Now on the 8th year of TREK, the mountaineers with a cause continue to reach even farther. This weekend, they are conducting an outreach in Calinog, Iloilo, going to three schools of living tradition of the Panay Bukidnon indigenous people. The group is bringing bags, school supplies, embroidery materials, bookshelves, mini libraries and sewing machines.

“My hope is for the children we help. I hope that their lives become better. I know that what we give is not enough for them to live the rest of their lives comfortably, but I hope they get inspired to continue studying and dreaming. I also hope that one day, they will also return the kindness and help the kids in their community,” says Austria.

She and her team not only inspire those they interact with, but are in turn motivated even more to reach new heights. “I am also very inspired by the people we meet, especially the teachers who sacrifice a lot for these students... But, what really motivates me are the kids. I always look forward to their smiles, the look on their faces when they are surprised and the way they say thank you. Nothing can be more beautiful than that.”

Follow TREK on Facebook (facebook.com/TrailsToEmpowerKids) to know more about the group and how to be a part of their outreach missions.