Play2Enrich | A spark of hope after the San Carlos City fire
For many people, home is an extension of who they are. The setting where they built — and are continuously creating — a lifetime of memories welcoming family, inviting friends, and entertaining guests. So what happens when, in an instant, that home burns down in flames?
On August 31 at 11 am, a fire broke out in Barangay 6 (Parola), San Carlos City, Negros Occidental — the third time this area suffered this incident. According to City Social Welfare and Development Office incident data, the fire affected 96 families consisting of 352 individuals living in 70 houses.
The fire immediately razed the houses in the area, considering they’re old and made of light materials. It even partially damaged the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) station windows.
When the ashes settle and the smoke clears up, all that’s left are piles of debris of people’s scorched possessions that don’t belong anywhere anymore. The sense of powerlessness and grief survivors feel while recollecting how watching the fires consume the lives they’ve known for years moved Avocado DAO scholar volunteers to show up last September 12 and offer support.
Scholars distributed cooking essentials, vitamins, and medicines to fire victims copped up together in tents at the Regional Evacuation Centers (RECs) in Margarita Village, Barangay 2 and Locsin Street, Barangay 6 in San Carlos City.
“We keep telling ourselves to be thankful that no one got hurt. That’s the only way we know to comfort ourselves from all this devastation,” said Maricel Owacan.
She recalled the fear that took over her as she rushed to get her two children outside.
“My youngest is deaf and extremely prone to sickness. She just recovered from a fever so the vitamins you donated will be very useful to us. Now that all the fire victims are staying in one place during the rainy season, it’s easy to catch a flu and contract a virus and spread it all around,” she said.
The affected area is a fishing village. There even used to be a lighthouse, a “parola,” that ships and boats used to help guide them to safe harbors. Like a lighthouse, Avocado DAO volunteer scholars thought of extending their hands and offering relief to fire survivors as they face the challenges of establishing a sense of home in an evacuation center and until they can find their way to stable grounds.
Rebecca Mainit, who lives with her three grandchildren, quickly ran home from church to get them somewhere safe.
“The fire seemed to spread so fast that I wasn’t able to grab a single piece of clothing. We haven’t figured out what to do yet. My husband’s fishing net got caught in the fire, so we’re really dependent on strangers’ donations and the government’s assistance. Having the means to earn is really meaningful for us in this difficult time,” she shared.
With over 200 scholars in San Carlos City, the Avocado DAO marked it’s presence in the community through the GameFi scholarship program. Along with the distribution activity, 10 AG scholarships has been offered to fire survivors to help them earn an alternative source of income and begin rebuilding their lives.
“You can’t help but ache for them and want to soothe their suffering. Volunteering in this activity is a great reminder for everyone involved what we can offer our neighbors — a helping hand whenever they need it,” said Jarell Kate Decin, AG scholar volunteer and activity organizer.
Under Avocado DAO’s Play2Enrich Communities program, scholar volunteers extend much-needed help to their communities by organizing local solidarity activities.
“It’s remarkable to me how the Avocado DAO supported this activity. And to offer scholarship to the victims, it means everything to me when you hear people from your community tearfully thank you, especially at a time like this when they have nothing,” said Early Tirambulo Mahilum, another AG scholar volunteer.
When everything went up into flames, hope kept people going. And in this type of situation, reaching out gave fire survivors the courage to start over. Knowing some people are willing to help, offer opportunities, and open their communities to fire survivors helps build their resilience as they journey through the harrowing experience of rebuilding their lives from the ashes of their old homes.
Avocado DAO does not just provide an avenue for scholars to play games and earn, we also arm our scholars with the right tools and knowledge for them to understand and navigate the Metaverse. The guild has gone above and beyond to provide a strong support network through our community leaders to ensure all our members have the right mentorship, guidance and training to unlock their true potential.
We give the power back to our community, and in turn, allow them to enrich their local communities through events and charitable giving hosted by our Avocadians. This is the team spirit of Avocado DAO, and we will always strive and do our best to make this journey enjoyable and rewarding with our fellow Avocadians into the future of the Metaverse.
Join the Avocado community: Website | Discord | Twitter | YouTube | Telegram | Facebook | Instagram
