Growing up in Eastern Samar in the Philippines, Athena was surrounded by people committed to serving their community.
Her mother worked as a Barangay Councillor, while her father volunteered as a basketball referee. Their dedication to helping others inspired Athena from an early age and shaped the ambitions she holds today.
Now 19 years old and studying Community Development at university, Athena is determined to follow in their footsteps.
But her journey has also been shaped by another important influence: growing up as a sponsored child.
As a child, sponsorship helped ensure Athena had the resources she needed to attend school and continue learning.
“As a sponsored child, I received school supplies at the beginning of each school year,” she recalls. “We didn’t have to worry about buying them. The community volunteers took good care of us and supported our education.”
Yet the impact extended far beyond notebooks and pencils.
Through Plan International’s sponsorship programme, Athena gained access to workshops, training opportunities and experiences that helped her build confidence and develop new skills.
One opportunity that particularly stood out was joining the Young Hearts Media programme.
Young Hearts Media is a child-led initiative that trains young people in photography, filmmaking and digital storytelling, empowering them to raise awareness about children’s rights in their communities.
“At Young Hearts I learnt how to use a DSLR camera for photography,” Athena says.
The programme helped her develop practical skills while strengthening her ability to communicate and advocate for issues affecting young people.
In 2022, Athena was selected to participate in a Girls Take Over event in Manila, where she stepped into the role of Plan International Philippines’ Country Director for a day.
The experience challenged her to think differently about leadership and gave her a new sense of confidence in her own abilities.
Athena believes one of the most important aspects of sponsorship is that it benefits entire communities, not just individual children.
“As a sponsored child, it’s not just me who improves, but the whole community develops too,” she explains.
Through sponsorship-supported programmes, families in her community have gained greater awareness of children’s rights, gender equality, mental health and disaster preparedness.
These initiatives help create safer, stronger and more resilient communities where children can thrive.
For Athena, the changes were also personal.
“Before, I was very shy,” she says. “Now I have become more friendly and approachable. I am slowly learning to develop my personality and make friends with other people.”
As she continues her studies, Athena is already thinking about how she can give back.
“When I graduate from my community development course, I want to serve our community, just as my mother has done for many years.”
She hopes to work alongside children and young people, helping them build skills, confidence and opportunities for the future.
“Based on my experience, I enjoy working with the community and helping children develop their skills and knowledge.”
Athena’s story is a reminder that sponsorship is about more than supporting one child. It is about investing in communities, creating opportunities and helping young people develop the confidence to become leaders themselves.
Today, Athena is not only benefiting from those opportunities — she is preparing to create them for others.
Your generosity saves lives. Your support changes futures.
From working to end child marriage to keeping kids in school during crises, together we can make a difference where it’s needed most.
