Nonalyn Gomer, a Sama Bajau youth, faced tough life challenges at a young age. She stopped schooling at grade four and left home in Zamboanga City, Southern Philippines to move to Metro Manila and work as a household helper. Coming from a poor family, she knew that she needed to earn a living to support her parents and seven siblings.
Nonalyn Gomer, 24, wishes to finish her studies now through the ALS program after stopping school at grade four.
Years after, Nonalyn returned home to take care of her mother Margarita. Most of her siblings are raising their own family, while her father Abdulsali is at the opposite end of the country, trying his luck as a fisherfolk in Bataan province.
They have a small sari-sari store at home, just enough to support their daily needs. They needed a more stable income so Nonalyn worked again as a household helper in a nearby community.
Despite working at an early age, Nonalyn kept on hoping to go back to school. She knew that education could help her break the cycle of poverty.
In 2019, Community and Family Services International (CFSI) started the Sama Bajau Education Support Project (SBESP) in Zamboanga City to support the education of Sama Bajau children and youth like Nonalyn.
Now at 24, Nonalyn continues her studies through the Alternative Learning System (ALS) under the elementary cohort. Her dreams of gaining a diploma and becoming a teacher turned closer to reality.
“I know that life will continue to test our family but I will never give up of dreaming that one day, I will finish my studies and be able to provide for my family to give them a better tomorrow,” Nonalyn shared.
In class, Nonalyn was elected president where she helps her instructional managers to make sure that the learners are regularly attending sessions and submitting their assignments.
Last March, their sessions were moved online as an effect of the community quarantine measures due to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak. Her role as the class president never faltered as she visits her classmates without internet access and shares her notes to them. She also takes picture of their assignments to submit it to their instructional managers.
While her schooling has adapted to the new normal caused by the pandemic, Nonalyn’s sources of living have not. She lost her job as a household helper while the sales of their sari-sari store have dropped.
As a SBESP beneficiary, Nonalyn receives PhP500.00 monthly support from the project. She shared that it greatly helps her in these trying times.
“The monthly cash support means a lot,” she claimed.
Nonalyn with her mother Margarita, whom she wants to give a better life by finishing her education.
Nonalyn will complete the 10-month ALS sessions by October this year. She hopes to pass the Accreditation and Equivalency (A&E) test which will certify her competencies as eligible to take higher education. After passing, she plans to proceed to secondary ALS then pursue a degree in education to teach children who could be in the same situation as hers.
“I think it’ll take a lot of effort and time but I’ll never stop dreaming until I have reached my goal in life,” said the determined Sama Bajau girl.
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Nonalyn is one of the 400 Sama Bajau adolescents and young adults in Zamboanga City, Southern Philippines who were given access to education through the Sama Bajau Education Support Project (SBESP). Eventually, the beneficiaries will be given technical vocational and life skills training to improve employability. CFSI implements SBESP since 2019 with funding support from EDUCO Philippines. #