Edrian Bangngayen, a former child laborer from Abra, has graduated with honors, thanks to Kara David’s Project Malasakit foundation.
Edrian graduated with honors at the Jose Lopez Manzano Tuy National High School. He is the second PM scholar who graduated high school this year.
Kara took to social media and posted a graduation photo of their scholar saying how proud she is of his achievement.
“Project Malasakit scholar Edrian Bangngayen has finished high school and graduated w/ honors!” Kara posted on Twitter on June 23, 2020.
The former honey collector became a Project Malasakit scholar after David featured him in the 2014 GMA I-witness documentary “Pulot-pukyutan” that highlighted the child’s perseverance to earn money for school despite encountering dangers as he gathered honey.
Aside from gathering honey, he used to climb towering trees to pick wild orchids and sell it for PhP10/bag for additional income.
The child laborer’s dream was to be a seaman as he told Kara in his interview six years ago.
Edrian and his older brother became scholars since 2014 and moved to Tuy, Batangas to continue their studies there.
Project Malasakit (PM), a foundation started in 2002 by the award-winning GMA broadcast journalist Kara David, has been helping with school expenses of scholars like Edrian.
“It has always been to use the mass media as a vehicle to cultivate solidarity, to deepen the capacity to empathize with the powerless, the oppressed and the hopeless,” said the mission statement on the Project Malasakit website.
In another i-witness documentary “Sa Mata ng Bata,” Edrian’s determination to succeed was featured once again and he shared that he still has the same dream.
With the help of Project Malasakit and Edrian’s dedication, he can make that dream a reality.
Edrian Bangngayen’s inspiring story is a testimony of the value of people helping out those who are determined to succeed.
Project Malasakit had also helped a Mangyan graduate pass the 2019 teachers’ board exams.
More inspiring stories of ordinary folks helping others with their education include Manila security guard Rene Abelita who became a teacher to street kids during the lockdown.
SEND CONGRATULATIONS in the comments below to Edrian Bangngayen for graduating with honors and being a proud scholar of Kara David’s Project Malasakit!
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