Joanna (Give Me Hope!) By Darlene Ramos

Joanna (Give Me Hope!)
By Darlene Ramos

Two girls giggle in a corner of the Golden Pirates headquarters. It is Education Week in CCFT Coron International School and everyone is donning their team colors - blue, red, yellow, and black. The girl in a blue "Ultra Glam Girl" t-shirt, Joanna, carefully picks out shiny letter stickers and spells out the team name of the girl in yellow, Mitchie, on her forehead: "Golden Pirates". She steps back and admires her work, and the two girls, grinning from ear to ear, walk arm-in-arm out into the warm sunshine.

This is a far cry from the Joanna of last year, who hung back from her classes and sometimes just stayed in the school corridors because she couldn't read and couldn't keep up with her classmates. Whenever she was provoked, she would throw a tantrum and had to be brought home from school. Her records showed that she was abused, and so found it hard to trust adults. During her first months in CCFT, she was often sad and aloof, withdrawing from the company of her classmates and siblings. She was very quiet during her first few trauma therapy sessions, and her reading tutor found teaching her to recognize words and read a tedious ordeal.

As the months passed, she began to open up. Whenever she felt low, she would go to therapist Viviene - her "Tita Ayen" - or to the head houseparent, Nanay Dhen, and pour out her feelings. She began to confide in the few people she learned to trust her life story and her dreams for the future - which includes becoming a nurse someday.

Joanna also began to read - slowly at first, but when she found she could, it was as if a new world opened up before her. Joanna began to look forward to going to school. If she hated joining classroom discussions before, she now volunteers to recite in class. What used to be a dull, complicated lesson now was an adventure in learning.

Joanna still has a long way to go, but luckily the journey won't be a gloomy one this time. And we all hope she'll walk this leg with a light heart, a skip to her step, and friends at her side.