One Meralco Foundation brings the gift of light to GreenEarth
For the entire rural poor community of GreenEarth, another prayer has been answered.
On March 26, 2012, the energetic team of One Meralco Foundation (OMF), led by its President and Chief CSR Officer Jeffrey O. Tarayao, inaugurated the 1-kilometer electrification extension project within the grounds of GreenEarth’s donated land. This “Let there be Light and Livelihood at GreenEarth” project of One Meralco Foundation has finally brought power to this once dark, gloomy, seemingly hopeless God-forsaken foothills of the Sierra Madre Mountains, San Miguel, Bulacan where illegal deforestation, insurgency and rural idleness has been the way of life of many settlers for decades.GreenEarth received a donation of over 100 hectares of land at the foothills of the Sierra Madre Mountains in San Miguel Bulacan back in May of 2009. Before One Meralco Foundation came, GreenEarth could only afford to bring one electric post to its frontage area serving a very small span of land within the foundation grounds.This electrification expansion brings power now from the frontage creek of GreenEarth’s duly-titled land all the way to its Northern hilltop, allowing agricultural development to continue along GreenEarth’s slopes, while at the same time bringing much-needed light and convenience to the homes of the farmers living right on GreenEarth’s land. These very farmers are protecting the forests of GreenEarth from deforestation.
“Thank you Lord for answering our prayer! I will no longer be afraid walking home every night and I can do my homework and study till the wee hours…”, exclaims Elgen Sulat, one of GreenEarth’s farm children.
“I look forward to being able to water our trees better and plant much more now that we have an electric-powered water pump and hopefully drip irrigation soon,” says Farmer Aldrin jubilantly.
The guests from OMF were warmly welcomed by the entire GreenEarth community. Dr. Mylene Matti, GreenEarth’s Founder and Executive Director, shared with our guests the GreenEarth story—how it all began and where we are today despite our challenges, giving glory to our Almighty God for touching the hearts of One Meralco Foundation, to partner with us in making our countryside a haven of peace and opportunity for all.”The course uncharted, the stars unreached, the road not there—this is where GreenEarth is, bringing nature back to life and starting opportunities where no one will go.”
GreenEarth Heritage Foundation is the only NGO working in this underserved area. After listening to the GreenEarth story, our partners and guests toured our greenhouses, vermiculture shed, biochar station and other service areas. This was followed by a visit to our on-site Learning Center where the Children of GreenEarth sang the GreenEarth Theme Song, recited an acrostic poem on the environment and rendered songs about Light and Love.After the short program of our children, everyone trooped to our northern hilltop where a Thanksgiving Service was held to praise God for His goodness. We wish to thank our friends from the Asian Seminary of Christian Missions, headed by their Dean of Students, Bro. Vic Cuarto, for providing such uplifting musical accompaniment to our praise songs to the LORD who has given us every blessing at GreenEarth.Immediately after, our newly installed water pump serving this newly electrified section of GreenEarth was powered up, pumping out waters of life much to the jubilation of everyone. The event was capped off by a bountiful feast consisting of GreenEarth’s organic vegetables, grilled tilapia, a noodle dish and three fruit shakes to celebrate God’s undying faithfulness to His people. Our guests and partners from OMF warmed the hearts of our farming families with their purchase of many bags of farm-fresh and heart-healthy organic produce from our farmer beneficiaries before leaving. It is the dawn of a new day at GreenEarth! Alas, our farmers and their respective families no longer have to live in darkness. Their children can now read books and study even at night. Our forests will now be much more guarded from fires and illegal loggers. It will also ease our farmers’ burden of crossing a bridgeless river and walking on unpaved roads just to buy fuel to power up our one and only diesel pump. Quite importantly, this electrification extension will help in developing our Moringa plantation, which when fully operational can eventually provide livelihood and sustenance to many more farming families in the months and years to come. We now have almost 10,000 seedlings over a meter high being planted one by one. At this juncture, we already have a wait-list of families desiring housing at GreenEarth.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH One Meralco Foundation for believing in GreenEarth! We so look forward to your continuing partnership in the months and years to come.
