Imagine a world with a future held under the jurisdiction of the youth . Would it be a world full of darkness and despair , or is it with light and hope ? Of course , the world revolves around the most powerful politicians and businessmen , who are nevertheless adults . But what if the children of today were given the responsibility to run the world ?
In the summer of 2020 , the world faced its most daring opponent yet : COVID-19 , a virus that spread as quick as an Apple product being revealed on Twitter . Was this the end or a birth of something new ? For many powerful countries , was help very abundant ? It seems like they were prepared in such a battle . However , small nations like the Philippines were yet to be capable of overcoming such an adversity . Its government , health facilities , and even large companies were not enough to sustain the virus . Knowing this , where could the help possibly be found ? In these trying times , the youth has risen and seized the opportunity to be recognized as the future . A myriad number of youth organizations were formed to purposely advocate for the many issues of the world .
A project entitled “ 20 para sa 20 ” stood-out and embarked change in the community . The
project was born out of the devastation caused by Typhoon Ulysses that struck the country back in November 2020 . With the pandemic on-going , help was extremely scarce . Upon hearing the news , a group of alumni from La Salle Green Hills ( LSGH ), recent graduates of batch 2020 , opened up an opportunity for Cagayan Valley - the place which took the greatest deal of damage . Their project had the purpose of raising monetary value to accumulate the necessities of the victims . Nevertheless , their project succeeded and brought forth immense hope for the people .
The youth has indeed given light . Although as young as they seem , they have transcended beyond the means of their responsibilities as students .
The youths initiative does not stop there . This time , hope was reborn to all who felt hopeless . Besides food , shelter , and clothing , mental health is also a necessity described by the youth . A project entitled “ LOVE ”, which is an acronym to Lasallian , Optimism , Values , and Empowerment , shed positivity amidst the formidable despair of the pandemic . The project aimed to build a positive environment for everyone through publication materials on how to cope up in these trying times .
Another project entitled “ Pagmulat ” has gained significant recognition due to its creative way of spreading awareness about mental health . The Search- In Community , Student Affairs Central Body , Cue Drama Club , and Peer Counseling Organization - organizations and clubs from LSGH - were the minds behind this brilliant project . It raised mental health awareness through a creative video series which starred students from different schools . The series were stories of real life situations tackling the common and complex mental illnesses such as anxiety , insecurities , and dissociative identity disorder . These production series have made its way through social media by a page created by the
organizations . Impressively , the series was a hit among many who showed support and awareness for mental
health .
With all of these projects , the youth seems to be gaining its place from the world of the old . Despite their young age , they are already inheriting the responsibilities of the supposedly wiser adult .
The world may be living in times of chaos and despair , but the young of age envisioned new opportunities that these times entail , and already exceeded what society expects from them . Even if the youth may seem to be seeds yet to prosper , they already bore the fruits of light and hope .
STUDENT- LED INITIATIVES
20