Just in time for the Father’s Day celebration this year, Maalaala Mo Kaya once again did not fail to deliver another anecdote that absolutely inspired and warmed our hearts – the story of Ryan Homan, the hardworking teacher from Donsol, Sorsogon who stood as a father not only for his family, but to the children in their barrio as well.
REVIEW: MMK Balsa delivers well on inspiring tale about teaching
Despite living in poverty since he was a child and not being well compensated as a public school teacher, his plight didn’t hinder him from reaching out to other people, which his father Ramon inculcated to him as he was growing up. Because of his relentless determination to send him to school until he graduated and his pursuit of improving the literacy rate among his townsfolks, this motivated Ryan to take up Education in college and to give back to his community by being a teacher.
In his interview with host Ms. Charo Santos-Concio, Ryan imparted that his advocacy of bringing education to the youth, which ensued to the establishment of “Balsa Basa Project”, struck his mind as he observed the decline in the attendance of his pupils and the inability of some of them to read. With the support of his family, he was able to launch it and invite as many children the raft he built could accommodate.
Since they didn’t have enough funds yet to provide books and other learning materials that they needed, he recalled writing on discarded calendars to improvise books. As soon as his initiative got exposed, donations started rushing in for their floating classroom from various individuals and organizations who wish to extend their help to the children of their community.
However, as the population of their students balloon as time goes by, their need for additional learning materials and school supplies increase as well, thus, he didn’t waste the opportunity to ask the viewers for any in-kind or monetary donations in order for them to sustain their program.
Their hearty conversation ended with Ryan expressing his gratitude and affection towards his Tatay Ramon and giving him a hug and kiss as Father’s Day gift. Charo also conveyed MMK’s desire to offer some help for the continuity of the “Balsa Basa Project.”