My Australia Awards Story: Ann Marie Cunanan, Helping communities through voluntereerism

After seven years of working in the corporate world, I felt it was already time to move on. I had a wonderful career with my last company but I knew I was called to do something else. I wanted to serve and work with communities.

I thought of studying abroad was a perfect incubation period before heading on to a new field and it was fate that I was able to avail a scholarship to study in Australia through the Australia Awards.

Just like Alice and her adventures in wonderland, I too have found my wonderland in Australia. It allowed me to expand my horizon and my perspectives. I like how critical thinking and discussions were always encouraged in class while I take sweet distractions every now and then in the artistic vibe of Melbourne.

Taking up Masters of Entrepreneurship and Innovation at Swinburne University of Technology also gave me the opportunity to sit in a roomfull of entrepreneurs. Listening to their stories, I was inspired by their different outlook in life and the unconventional ways they create opportunities for others. It stirred within me the desire to start a social enterprise that will honor my passion and help communities back in the Philippines.

Fortunately, I met a fellow Filipino Australia Awards scholar, Cheenee Otarra, who was also thinking the same thing. Both big on travel and volunteering, we thought of creating a social enterprise that will connect volunteers with community projects in the Philippines. And so the Pushpin Movement was born.

Our mission was supported by more Australia Awards scholars we met in Melbourne--- Nina Araneta-Alana, Lucita de la Pena and Miday Umali who brought in expertise in the fields of community development, legal, and administrative work.

But starting something new is never an easy path. I questioned my own capacity to lead the enterprise many times. But life will always show you that it’s not all about you. I realised my role was to bring forth the vision that we had in mind– people volunteering in communities and being moved by their experience to do more.

With the support from the Australian Embassy in Manila and the Philippines Australia Human Resource and Organisational Development Facility (PAHRODF) through their Alumni Grants Scheme, Pushpin Movement was able to bring its first batch of volunteers from Australia to the Philippines in July 2015. The volunteers were given the opportunity to contribute to activities of our partner organisations working on education, community development, and ecotourism projects.

Next year, our goal is to strengthen volunteerism amongst Filipinos by opening more volunteer activities linking individuals, companies, and institutions with our partner organisations. At the same time, we also want to establish stronger ties with Australia through the companies we connected with on our project with the Australian Embassy. We hope to accomplish this by getting them involved with volunteer and development work already existing within the alumni network.

I can see mountains of opportunities as well as challenges to navigate for Pushpin Movement in the coming years. But one thing that gives me joy in doing this is seeing the simple dynamics of our friends working together and supporting each other in our vision to make more sustainable changes for our country. No matter how small or simple our efforts may appear, I am sure that our passion for volunteering will create ripples in the bigger picture. We will make a difference in the communities we serve.

Pushpin Movement is opening the opportunity for organisations/companies to provide volunteers for next year’s build program with Gawad Kalinga (GK) Escopa Village. We are also looking for funders and volunteers to help rebuild earthquake-damaged classrooms in Sto. Rosario Elementary Elementary School in Bohol.Please contact us through our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/pushpinmovement or email at info@pushpinmovement.com if you are interested.