The Women's
Opportunity Awards program is the major
program of SIA which receives a strong support from
SIPR. Through this program, Soroptimist clubs in the
Philippines assist women who provide the primary source
of financial support for their families by giving
them the resources they need to improve their education,
skills, and employment prospects. Recipients, many
of whom have overcome enormous obstacles including
poverty, domestic violence, and drug and alcohol abuse,
may use the awards to offset any costs associated
with their efforts to attain higher education, such
as books, childcare and transportation.
The first candidate from the Philippines
to have received one of the three finalist Women’s
Opportunity Awards is Mispah Evangelio, a nominee
of SI KALIBO. A standing ovation was accorded to her
as she received the Certificate and cash award of
US$10,000 during the SIA Convention held at the Taiwan
International Convention Center on July 17, 2008.
Mispah belongs to the poor Ati Tribe
from the mountainous region of Kalibo, Aklan. Her
tribe’s tradition disallowed girls from going
to school but she defied this tradition when she found
a teacher who supported her financially from elementary
to high school. Mispah suffered discrimination but
withstood the pains inflicted on her by classmates
who sometimes called her “monkey” because
of her dark skin and kinky hair. No one wanted to
sit beside her in class or even in jeepneys. Supported
by a nun, Mispah enrolled in B.A. Elementary Education
not only to uplift the lives of her family but also
that of the children in her community.
After a semester, due to her parent's
illness, Mispah was forced to stop her schooling.
She fell in love with a man who bore her a son who
eventually left her. She thought she had lost the
opportunity to go back to school when she heard about
the Soroptimist Women’s Opportunity Awards.
She applied to and was chosen by SI Kalibo and soon
became the Western Visayas District’s first
place winner. She became an overnight celebrity in
her tribal community when she appeared in the trimedia
in the whole province. She also bagged the Region
first place award and then, one of the three SIA finalist
awards.
Mispah started teaching children in
her Ati community with SI Kalibo providing the children's
learning needs. Congratulations to Mispah and SI Kalibo!
Mispah LIVED HER DREAM - and HER DREAM BECAME A REALITY
