HER passion for helping the society’s vulnerable sections led Josephine ‘Jo’ Ruaya to major in social work during her undergraduate years at Mindanao State University in Marawi.
After graduating in 1999, she co-founded the non-profit “Loving Presence Foundation” in Bislig, Surigao del Sur. The organization sponsored free surgeries for cleft lips and cataracts. It also helped differently-abled patients secure assistive devices from the Davao Jubilee Foundation.
Jo joined the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in 2012. Along with her colleagues, she helped distribute relief materials to victims of various typhoons and those affected by the Marawi siege in 2017. Committed and driven, Jo accomplished all these while taking care of her four children.
How do you juggle work with motherhood?
“You can’t serve two masters at the same time,” Jo says. “You have to make compromises, but it’s all worth it. It fills my heart with joy that my family understands the nature of my job.”
“[I’m busy with my work but] I’m happy that technology has evolved so much that video calling [my children] is now possible. I feel like we’re separated by just a tiny screen,” she says.
“My kids see me as a role model. In fact, my eldest daughter is currently studying social work at the same university from where I graduated,” Jo proudly adds.
What achievements at the ICRC are you most proud of?
“When you help, you are touching and changing lives. You are giving hope and creating opportunities for these affected families. That is already something to be proud of,” Jo shares.
Though she has lost count of the number of times she’s been successfully able to help communities, Jo has a few standout moments on her list:
Her team works in a small village in Eastern Samar, where just a few households had private toilets. The ICRC financially supported the residents to build four communal toilet blocks in the area. The project gave people livelihood while improving their way of life. “Transporting the materials was a huge task, but it all paid off, seeing the project reach completion,” Jo recalls.
Helping disburse cash grants to 500 people displaced by the Zamboanga siege. “I remember how grateful those residents were [when they received their grants]. I often wonder how they are doing now,” she says.
Supporting families that had lost their loved ones during the Marawi siege as part of the organization’s Micro-Economic Initiatives program. For Jo, learning that the recipients’ businesses (which they had set up with ICRC support) have prospered is like winning the lottery.
Why did you choose to work with the ICRC?
“We were visiting my husband’s hometown in Davao Oriental in 2012 when the area was struck by a typhoon. We survived and made it safely back home to Bislig. But that’s when I saw the Red Cross emblem. When they opened an office in Davao Oriental, I immediately applied,” she said.
Do you think your work has left a positive impact on the community? If so, how?
“Yes. Helping provide a livelihood to the people of Eastern Samar, the successful vocational training of Zamboanga residents and the prosperous business ventures of people displaced by the Marawi siege are my way of contributing to those communities,” Jo says.
Any advice for mothers who want to pursue a humanitarian career?
“If you choose to be a full-time mother or pursue other professions, that’s totally fine and you should be celebrated no matter what,” Jo says.
“Know your passion, be practical and choose what works for you. If you want to pursue a career as a humanitarian aid worker, I advise you to draw a line between your working hours and personal time and to learn how to compartmentalize your emotions, especially when talking to community members so you don’t get easily burned out. Sometimes, the disparity between what you can do and what the community needs can be so wide that you’ll feel helpless. Understand your limits and work within your capacity,” Jo signs off. (ICRC)
