Tags: Inspirational Stories, NGOs and foundations
By KC Santos
QUEZON CITY, METRO MANILA – The Asia Against Child Trafficking (Asia ACT) is advocating quilting, which is a form of sewing, as one of the many ways that abused children can do to recuperate from painful and traumatic experiences.
One of these children is Lomalina Daan, a Bohol native who was once recruited as a child soldier. Lomalina, who now goes by the name Giselle, suffered severe injury in one of the attacks leaving her right hand deformed.
She knew then that she was going to be scarred for life but shares that she’s okay now with the help of the NGO and its quilting program.
Amihan Abueva , Asia ACT Regional Coordinator, says the NGO primarily takes care of victims of child trafficking.
Amihan says she crossed paths with Giselle whom she tagged along to participate in Survivor’s Quilt, a project based in California, which taught victims of child trafficking all over the world the art of quilting as a therapeutic way of appreciating art.
“The recovery really depends on the kids since they have different ways of responding to the healing process. Quilting is somewhat an equalizer since we encourage them to focus only on positive thoughts,” Amihan shares.
In displaying exceptional creativity and interest in quilting, Giselle was eventually encouraged to relay her skills to other victims of abuse. She shares she doesn’t put too much thought on what to create but recalls vivid images of the countryside from where she belongs.
From basic sewing, Giselle eventually learned how to layer and paint her quilts. Amihan says Giselle’s level of expertise in quilting is quite advanced considering her horrible past and that she wasn’t schooled in the arts.
“It’s not an easy process because trauma triggers the bad memory. It’s a challenge to fight back those memories to entertain only the good images and translate them into art,” Amihan says.
When not conducting workshops, Amihan aids Giselle in marketing her quilted works in hand-made art fairs where her quilts, depending on the size, sells from 300 to 1,500 pesos.
Amihan, who has also learned the craft from Giselle, also sells her full quilts for 6,000 pesos apiece. These are all ideal wall pieces for homes, commercial and leisure establishments.
In a time when sexual exploitation and forced labor of Filipino children still remain very rampant, Amihan says it is only right that NGOs or individuals help find ways to make recovery easier for these abused children.
“If these children are not saved, nobody knows how cruel this world becomes to them. This is why we need to make them feel that sense of accomplishment because this reaffirms their road to recovery,” Amihan says.
Today, Giselle, a budding artist and a company employee, lives a simple life and has become a productive member of the society. However there are lots more like her who might need help.
“I just have to keep on making art so that I can also inspire and convince victims of abuse that there is still hope out there, they just need others’ help to look for it,” Giselle says.
Get more information about Asia Against Child Trafficking (Asia ACT)
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