January saw the arrival of heroes from different countries including the United States, Guam, Canada and Australia to join the Bayani build and Bayani Adventure Tour with Gawad Kalinga. From the US, particularly Southern and Northern California and Guam, a total of 64 Filipino Americans joined in different batches. In another Bayani adventure tour, 8 members of the Youth for Christ from Canada came to see GK with their own eyes.

This was the first time that Canada sent a contingent. Meanwhile, by the far the biggest group to join the the Youth Great Adventure Tour (YGAT) arrived from Australia last January 20 with 77 delegates.

This year’s participants included 19 members from Engineers without Borders-Australia (with 3 Filipino-Australians, 1 Canadian and 15 Australians), the four beautiful ladies of Ms. GK Australia, Australians of Japanese, Vietnamese, and Malaysian descent, members of GK Youth-Australia along with representatives from other youth organizations with different religious affiliations. Together, they visited several GK sites in Metro Manila and spent 5 days at GK Iriga not only to build homes but to build relationships within the community, bringing joy and hope into the dark corners of the Bicol region.

HEROES SPEAK:

How has the GK experience changed you? I’ve learned to allow myself to be loved and to love as I was taught by the people of GK Iriga .

Eileen Racca,19

I came here to be the hero full of arrogance and pride. I thought to help the weak and small and sadder ones than I. But somewhere down the line, I could not see, that the one who needed saving was me.

Eleazar Arranz, 27

The GK experience has instilled in me a greater sense of pride in the Philippines and its people. I’ve also experienced firsthand that all you need is love and a sense of belonging in order to live a fruitful life.

Joseph Oconer, 20

The GK experience has opened my mind and inspired a dream within me to one day help my own home country out of poverty.

Bao Vu, 18
Vietnamese-Australian

It has enabled me to see how I can change the lives of those living in poverty and without hope by making simple sacrifices. It has pushed me away from love of my self to love of others.

David Dang, 22

After YGAT, I am convinced that GK is an inspired movement that transforms not only the beneficiaries but the GK workers and volunteers as well.

Geraldine Pace, 22

It has inspired me to become active in the building of a great nation and has taught me the power and voice of the youth.

Anne De La Paz, 22

The experience changed my perspective in life and motivated me to do more for my homeland through GK.

Geffin Musa, 25

The best thing that I can do is to share and invite my friends, to encourage them to spend themselves in the GK sites and build relationships with them through love.

Yroll Zoleta, 23
YFC Service Team

A New Generation of Heroes: YGAT participants from Australia pose with the caretaker team at one of the model homes in GK Panganiban, Camarines Norte. This GK village is built in partnership with ANCOP Australia.

Images of Heroism:

HEROES SPEAK:

YGAT, which originated from the GK Youth of Australia, is on its 4th year of bringing a new generation of heroes to the Philippines. This year, 77 young people from different groups in Australia came to visit, in what proved to be one of the greatest journeys of their life.

Members from Engineers without Borders - Australia  play with the kids from the GK villages of Baseco and Iriga.  From left are: Renate Crollini, James Alcorn, Jaques Ostrowski, and Adam Long.
YGATers join the bayanihan line during their build activity in Bicol.	YGATers celebrated their Australian day with the GK community last January 26, cooking “damper” together, the native Australian bread.
Photos by Luke Wolstencroft, Marco Palmero, Joy Lopez, EJ Cuaresma and Reggie Santos (YGAT Participants)

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