"One of the things I love about Fundlife is it disciplines me in a way that I could understand their purpose for doing so. Because of the organization, I could say that my time management has improved in so many ways," says Lolita, our Batang Champion for March.
Lolita, 17, is an active Football For Life Academy from Brgy. New Kawayan in Tacloban City since May 2021. She regularly attends the organization's community-based sessions, mentorship, and Champion sessions and is considered a responsible older sister by her teammates.
Described by the players as kind, generous, and a good listener, Lolita, is the kind of player who is very teachable and willing to learn. This goes for both foot ball drills and educational lessons that can sometimes be challenging in the beginning. For her, she struggles most with time management. Since she is the person responsible in their family to do the household chores and take care of her nephew, as well as other household concerns, she sometimes ends up skipping sessions.
There are times that I would decide not to attend the sessions but immediately regret it, especially if it's an educational session. Missing one session means missing the opportunity to learn more, grow, and empower me. That's how the organization means to me since they started facilitating the sessions in May last year."
"There will also be times when my parents won't permit me to attend the sessions because of the responsibilities at home. But I make sure to finish everything before going to the sessions. Or when I don't get to finish, I resume with the other chores after the session. Through this, I practiced time management on a different level. Indeed time management and discipline play a big part in every FFLA player's journey with the organization," she further explained.
It's not just time management that improved. Lolita also gained confidence in her studies and in participating in the sessions. She is a shy type of girl, but now you would see her opening up about the things discussed in the sessions without hesitation. For her, there is no harm in trying to answer; at least she tried.
"There are many significant changes in my life after joining FundLife: from a shy type Lolita to a very confident one. From a disorganized player to someone who has learned to value time management. Indeed, as the youth mentors would tell us, being an athlete isn't that easy. It takes responsibility, good behavior, and time management to become a good athlete," she added.
With the Reach to Teach program launching in the Northern part of Tacloban City, many children and youth now have the opportunity to participate in fun-based learning sessions focused on imparting life skills and knowledge that will help them be at their full potential.