Fairplay For All Foundation is a non-profit community organization based in Payatas, a large urban poor community in Metro Manila, Philippines. The organization takes a holistic approach to empowering its community to break cycles of poverty and trauma. My work with Fairplay is focused on two projects: (1) Writing an internal report on how Fairplay can better support families in Payatas in accessing quality employment opportunities. (2) Helping facilitate 'Emotional Quotient' sessions that support the emotional and mental well-being of local children.

Before starting my LiA, I felt a nervous excitement about many things: experiencing the deadly heat, meeting everyone in person, and conversing in Tagalog for the first time. But if I’m being honest, what I was most nervous about was simply getting to Fairplay's Youth Center.

Tucked deep within the neighbourhood, and in a country with notoriously bad public transport infrastructure, trying to figure out my route was not an intuitive experience. The journey involves navigating a patchwork of privately-owned open-air jeepneys and e-trikes, none of which follow fixed schedules, have designated stops, or offer online routes.

Luckily, I didn’t have to figure it out alone. After voicing my concerns to my supervisor, one of Fairplay’s staff went out of their way not just to map out my commute, but even to accompany me to the center on my first day. It was a simple act of kindness, but one that set the tone for what would become the first of many moments I’d feel grateful for during my warm welcome into the organization. 

What went well?

In many ways, that first commute captures how I’ve felt throughout this week. Rotating through Fairplay’s different teams, like a passenger on a jeepney briefly stopping by, I was able to catch glimpses of the impact made at the Youth Center, the Sports Center, the Fairplay Café, and the Payatas Football Club. Each stop gave me insight into the depth and sincerity of Fairplay’s holistic model.

That sincerity is also reflected in the everyday practices of the staff. They are served lunch at the vegan café and take part in daily well-being sessions, which include shared mindfulness practices and group workouts.

In just under a week, I already feel that this experience has the potential to be deeply meaningful, both personally and professionally.

What could have been done differently?

At the same time, my daily commute feels like a metaphor for what I need to work on. I’ve mostly been a passive observer, especially when meeting the children and parents for the first time, and I didn’t make as much progress on my projects as I would have liked.

A major factor is the language barrier. While I understand more than 90% of the Tagalog I’ve heard, I still feel intensely insecure about speaking it. It’s a language I never had to speak, even at home.

Everyone at Fairplay understands English, but I can already tell how much stronger my relationships would be if I pushed myself to speak Tagalog. I need to slow down, let go of the habit of thinking and speaking in English, and commit to doing the hard, uncomfortable work.

What did I learn about myself when working with others?

This week, I realized I’m a lot more shy than I thought. Through the start of my Sealy Coaching sessions, I’ve started to see how my more extroverted tendencies often mask my deeper insecurities.

Drawing on some of the ideas from the Oxford Character Lab, I learned that I need to practice patience and compassion with myself. This is especially important as I try to engage with others in a language I have little confidence in. It’s a humbling part of learning how to show up more fully in this work.

What did I learn about leadership?

I’ve started to think about leadership less as a role and more as a form of stewardship. That feels more authentic to the kind of leader I want to become.

At Fairplay, most staff and children refer to my supervisor as “Coach.” In our conversations this week, I’ve come to admire how he focuses not just on how he leads, but on what he leads. Even in just a few days, I’ve seen the sincerity in how he is trying to confront the long-standing issues of poverty and trauma in Payatas.

Grounding myself in the “what” has helped me formalize my goals with Fairplay. I want to make sure the work I take on aligns with my personal and professional hopes: to learn about poverty, to practice sincere community engagement, to grow in my sense of humanity, and to reconnect with a cultural identity I often ignored growing up.

What do I want to develop or focus on next?

Looking ahead to next week, my main goal is to continue building my confidence and patience so I can start thinking and speaking in Tagalog more naturally.

Like that first jeepney ride, I know it will be awkward, unfamiliar, and probably a little uncomfortable. But I also know that the only way forward is to get on, hold tight, and with the support of Fairplay's staff, trust that I can find my way.