Beneficiaries: Sitio Laiban Integrated School
Author: Audie
Date: July 14, 2024
Journey to Laiban
Nine river crossings – that is how many rivers you need to cross to reach Sitio Laiban Integrated School. The crossings range from small streams to wide rivers where you must follow the outline of underwater rocks set apart by the occasionally passing off-road jeepneys.
The purpose of the outreach last June 12, 2024 was for Solar Hope to install the Starlink system that will provide internet to the newly furnished Information, Computer, and Technology (ICT) room of Laiban Integrated School. This was made possible by the generosity of the IT and business consulting services company Consultants to Government and Industry (CGI), who have proven to be instrumental long-term partners in helping meet the needs of the community, pledging support for subscription costs up to a year’s worth of connectivity. The non-profit organization Solar Hope has been the bridge that connects sitio Laiban with various sponsors like CGI since 2021 to provide electrification and much more.
But before all that, the journey starts in a place worth sneaking a peek at a breathtaking mountain view – Shell Boso Boso.
From there, it took roughly an hour to arrive at the ingress of the mountain path towards Sitio Laiban, situated along Marilaque Highway. It was all downhill from there, in a literal sense. This last leg of the journey was punctuated by more striking mountain views, a roller coaster of off-road bumps heading downhill, and the aforementioned river crossings.
Reaching for the Stars
On arrival, the team got reacquainted with the teachers of Laiban Elementary School, who have been the core partners of Solar Hope for countless outreaches already. One of them is MAPEH teacher sir Robert, who has been the critical point person in the entire day’s activity.
Filled with eagerness and excitement, the team wasted no time to test the Starlink system. However, as this was the first time the team experienced installing Starlink, a couple of equipment and parts were overlooked for mounting the system on the roof. It was also a race against time as local weather was unpredictable and skies were already grey and heavy with rain making installation impossible during a downpour. Though with a little bit of Filipino adaptability and ingenuity, it was successfully and securely installed on the school’s roof. Starlink worked without much fuss, and everybody’s enthusiasm was boosted tenfold when teachers experienced a fast internet connection for the first time at the school. For context, they spend 200 pesos a week for spotty pocket WiFi data – ironically spending out of pocket.
Impact of access to digital technology
In parallel, the team also engaged in dialogue regarding the effectiveness of the teacher’s and students’ usage of the 30 donated laptops and 3kW solar panel system.
The donation had achieved a 1:1 student-to-laptop ratio which was previously 7:1. The ICT room and equipment have a profound impact on the students’ confidence in using laptops to create presentations, do homework, and perform research. Teaching style now includes audiovisual presentations which engage more students in class. Other classes can use ICT room to conduct classes as well. The team also assessed how to better measure impact and utilization such as logging of hours and frequency of usage.
Sharing here an excerpt from Laiban Integrated School’s latest report:
“These donations provided a vital boost to our school. They also enhanced our current programs and strengthened our mission to continue serving our students and community. Learning has been made easier for the students because the resources are already provided, especially in the subjects in ICT, Practical Research 1 and 2, and Empowerment Technology. We are also glad that the students and teachers can now use the Science Laboratory anytime because of the installation of solar panels and internet connection”
River musings
After the two main activities, the team was treated with extra hospitality; being served snacks comprising steamed saba and kakanin. Suffice to say this rejuvenated the team and set the perfect mood to dip toes in the nearby river. The river is called Puting Bato due to a huge white stone jutting by the riverside, the perfect diving board for the bold and brave. However, an unexpected guest was wading and enjoying the warm flowing water. It was a carabao, the perennial symbol of quiet rural life. Though the team has indulged in these waters numerous times from past outreaches, the unexpected guest made it more memorable (ask the volunteers why if given the chance).
Going home in good rain, good food, and the best company
Rain finally poured as if it was waiting for Solar Hope to pack up and leave. Wide smiles and hope for the future were abuzz even in goodbyes and chilly weather. It had been a journey to get here, not just for the day but the entire partnership between the community and organizations to humbly uplift sitio Laiban. Each time we pass the nine river crossings, the community continues to change little by little. Through multiple outreaches, Laiban community has received solar home systems for 374 households, gained assistance for repairs of the school’s existing solar PV systems, built a library, and now furnished an ICT room that connects Laiban’s students to the digital world through state of the art space technology.
Back on the highways of Marilaque, dinner was on the minds of everyone. It is a long-standing tradition in Solar Hope to culminate the day with a bit of reflection and nourishment, and no other place was better suited than Pico de Pino situated on the mountainside of Tanay. Highlights and things to improve were discussed. Things that could be improved are better preparation with the tools and materials needed. The notable highlights of the day were seeing the teachers’ faces light up when YouTube was opened on the TV monitor. Though the activities were few, it had been a long day. A new volunteer, Lean, was welcomed and an old one, Audie, was welcomed back. Love for and by a community is a strange thing. It is neither simply given nor earned. It is something outside of those two words. And like the Starlink that was installed, it does not fail to connect us.
