“Sometimes the joy that we’re seeking is found in other people’s joy,” Claire Algarme, resource mobilization manager of Hands On Manila, said.
And it is with working in the NGO sector that Claire finds her happiness and fulfillment.
For years, Claire has worked in the private sector. But the prospects of a well-paying job proved of less value than being able to reach out to those in need.
She moved to HOM after working for a public relations and events company. Habitat for Humanity, where Claire started her career, stands as the biggest influence in her decision to ply her skills and expertise in the non-profit sphere.
“We have this mentality that we always think of our self—how we would be in the future, how we were in the past, what would make us happy, what would make us fulfilled,” Claire Algarme said. “We have to go out of that burn and always put ourselves in the shoes of other people.”
“When you’re driving and then somebody cuts you, you get mad but when you try to put yourself in that person’s shoes maybe he o
r she is in an emergency, then you get to become more compassionate and understanding,“ she added. “And then you get to think less of yourself.”
Read more or listen to the interview as Claire talks about her passion for writing and traveling, and the common traits that we Filipinos share—that she has ascertained from all her travels.
All these and more only here on Greater Good Philippines.
