At Outsourcing Angel, we’re committed to living a life of love for others. This core value that we have has inspired us to give back to the community, most especially to the less fortunate. Our work in the Philippines has provided employment to Filipino virtual assistants, but we don’t let the impact stop there.
For the past few years, we have been constantly finding ways to get involved in community work. One way we do this is by getting involved in the work of the Virlanie Foundation, a not-for-profit organisation that primarily works with impoverished street children in the Philippines.
One of the initiatives of the foundation is educating young children so as to give them a better hope and future. Several of our virtual employees in Outsourcing Angel have become involved in volunteer teaching work. Specifically, our virtual assistants get involved in teaching kids computer literacy skills in hopes that they can land online or call center jobs.
We spoke to four of them and listened to what they had to say and how they find fulfillment in empowering others. Here’s a little bit about each of them.
Wendy Villar
Wendy is the accounts manager for Outsourcing Angel. As overall manager of the company, she takes charge of support for the company’s business development, finances and account management. She is the head of the program with Virlanie Foundation.
Isabel Famero
Isabel is a full-time mom to one child, Lucas, and also works as a Virtual Assistant. She’s been with us at Outsourcing Angel for more than two years now. She specialises in administrative work, social media management, lead generation, CRM and many other work specialties.
Jenna Razal
Jenna is a General Virtual Assistant for Outsourcing Angel. She’s been a part of the company for two years in the running. She has had a wide range of experience mostly doing work in the areas of administrative support, operations and digital marketing.
Shara Jay Millare
Shara works in Client Support and is also a General Virtual Assistant.
These four wonderful ladies took time to tell us more about their experience with the work at Virlanie Foundation. Check out our interview with them below.
Q: What is your role in the project to help the kids at the Virlanie Foundation?
Wendy: I am responsible in the composition and submission of the course outline and lesson plan for all our weekend lessons with the children, as approved by Virlanie Foundation. I also take charge of maintaining a progress report for each student, making sure that each student achieves and completes the learning objectives.
Isabel: I am a volunteer teacher. We teach these adorable kids computer literacy. Some of them barely understood the importance of using a computer and we teach them to broaden their knowledge and skills that will be beneficial for them in school and the future.
Jenna: I am a volunteer teacher for Computer Literacy program. I also have made some contributions to the modules we give to the kids.
Shara: We share our knowledge in Computer Computer Literacy with the kids in Virlanie. We also get to teach them how to read and do simple drawings and colorings.
Q: Have you had any experience with volunteering or teaching kids in the past?
Wendy: I was a former grade school teacher so teaching is close to my heart.
Isabel: Yes, Before I was part of the Youth for Christ where I also teach kids through evangelization and I am part of the YFC Music ministry where I share my God-given Talent during our Praise and worship. I also volunteered in Gawad Kalinga where I painted houses on behalf of the beneficiaries of GK.
Jenna: Yes, I volunteered as an Admin Assistant in Philippine General Hospital Social Welfare Department. I did admin tasks, typing social welfare cases of women and children. However, I am a registered nurse who has a background in community health and we reach out to underprivileged families.
Shara: Yes, I volunteer as a pre kindergarten teacher in our church. It was fun, it literally makes you young!
Q: What were your expectations and goals heading into volunteer work?
Wendy: As we are dealing with children who aren’t in regular schools (alternative learning program), or that they needed to stop attending school due to their dire socio-economic circumstances, we felt that we can do so much more by committing to do a program wherein we provide ongoing one-on-one tutorials with the kids.
Isabel: I always look forward to seeing these kids every 2nd and 4th Saturday of the month because I can see their development in learning the use of the computer. Being able to teach them and seeing them using the skills we taught them is one of my goals.
Jenna: I wanted to impart my knowledge and skills into these children as most of them have been abandoned, abused and underprivileged. These skills will help them get a job when
they turn 18 and out of the foundation.
Shara: I was expecting more volunteering work in Virlanie. For the coming years I can see myself teaching them more various lessons and giving them seminars that can be useful in their everyday life.
Q: What drove you to get involved in the work with Virlanie Foundation?
Wendy: Although we had worked with Virlanie by sponsoring some small learning workshops with the kids, our company founder, Linh Podetti, felt that it isn’t enough to really help educate the kids so that they can achieve a certain level of competency with their computer knowledge. I think this program can really create a greater impact in the long term for these kids.
Isabel: I guess I have to say it’s the passion. Before I just volunteer because I am the one in charge of bringing their snacks. However, when I started teaching them, seeing them happy ignites my passion to continue my volunteer work.
Jenna: Teaching computer knowledge and skills to these children drove me to work because we all that knowledge is power!
Shara: My TLs and Ms. Wendy, they made volunteering work super fun so I’m always motivated to do it. They are inspirational!
Q: How did it feel to be able to help out?
Wendy: Despite of the harsh realities of life, these kids are still pure and good and have so much love to give. What amazed me was the faith and hope that shines through their eyes and overflows through their little bodies, and I’d certainly like to continue teaching, and keep them hopeful and excited for the future in any way I can. In this way, our work at Virlanie is not giving as it gives me a warm feeling of purpose.
Isabel: Very Fulfilling. The feeling of happiness overflows especially seeing them developed, from little knowledge to being computer literate. It made me feel that I did something amazing. I contributed something great to their future.
Isabel
Jenna: I am very grateful to be able to teach kids not only computer knowledge and skills but also impart wisdom in their lives. Most of them do not have family and by reaching
out to them, they learn that even a stranger cares for them.
Shara: Accomplished! It’s like you are giving you a new purpose in life.
Q: What were your highlight/highlights when you got involved?
Wendy: We hear stories of how the completed and polished resumes made it possible for the older kids (ages 18 to 19 years) to be hired by local companies as customer support agents. We can’t help but feel that we’re on the right track, and this is just a start. Thank you Outsourcing Angel for always giving us such an amazing opportunities to do more and give love wherever we can.
Isabel: When I was given the opportunity to bake a cake for one birthday girl. Their countless smiles while eating the cake I bake and telling me how much they love it and it was their first time eating that kind of delicious cake. It was priceless!
Jenna: The most rewarding thing that I experienced in being a volunteer is when the kids tell you that they have been excelling in their classes because of us teaching them. I also like how these kids are sweet when they hug us and say thank you.
This is my 2nd year teaching in Virlanie. I’ve learned that the 1st batch (ages 15-18) we taught are now employed in call centers or BPO companies.
Shara: Getting to know the children, having them missed us, their hugs and “I miss you ate” is the highlights of my visit in Virlanie.
Virlanie Foundation
There really is fulfillment in empowering others. It’s amazing what we can accomplish for others with a little sacrifice. For Wendy, Isabel, Jenna and Shara, the sacrifice was a little time spent educating young people about all the new opportunities made available through technology. But the result was, in many cases, a changed life.
Our work with Virlanie Foundation is just the beginning, both with them and with many other charity projects we’re involved with. If you want to see how you can get involved in some of our charity works, we’d love to hear from you. Leave a comment below or get in touch with us. Together, we can truly build better lives and futures for many others!
