Claire Algarme - Resource Mobilization Manager at Hands On Manila

September 12, 2008

“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 or 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.

Jay-R Patron: We’re here with Claire Algarme, resource mobilization manager of Hands On Manila. My first question is, can you give a summary of what you do currently?

 

Claire Algarme: Right now, in the organization? What we do is we partner with other organizations then we provide them with volunteers. On my side, as resource mobilization manager, what I do is that I get the corporations to get involved through corporate volunteer programs, arranging their employees to be involved in whatever community projects that we have.

 

Jay-R Patron: What is a normal day at work to you like?

 

Claire Algarme: At work it would be full of phone calls. Most of the time I go out to corporations, usually with corporate communications or HR, and giving out proposals, letters, following up. It’s more of providing them with quality volunteer experiences.

 

Jay-R Patron: How did you end up working for Hands On Manila?

 

Claire Algarme: I used to work for a non-profit organization for four years. I was assigned abroad and then when I came back here I worked for a private public relations and events company. But I think working with the NGO really has created an impact in my life. I wanted to go back to NGO and I know Hands On way back then. My friend, Abby, I knew she was working with Hands On Manila so I asked her if she knew a partner organization who would be in need of people for their NGOs and then she told me that she was no longer connected with Hands On and her position was vacant. She asked me to send my resume so that I fill her position.

 

Jay-R Patron: How long have you been working with Hands On Manila?

 

Claire Algarme: More than a year.

 

Jay-R Patron: Outside of Hands On Manila, what do you do for fun?

 

Claire Algarme: For fun, I go out with friends. We schedule travelling in one particular Philippine destination and another outside the Philippines. From planning to everything, it’s really fun. I’m also involved with our church group. It’s a Catholic Charismatic Community and a Singles Ministry.

 

Jay-R Patron: Speaking of travel, how frequent do you travel?

 

Claire Algarme: In a year, I think those that are planned, three or four? But there are some instances wherein friends will just, at one point, tell each other, “Why don’t we go somewhere near Manila or just within Luzon.” Even in the office, we already went out once or twice in a year… just for fun.

 

(–:03:29 – –:04:00)

 

Jay-R Patron: What is it about traveling that you like?

 

Claire Algarme: It’s more of discovering new places…the culture. I’m interested in learning new languages or learning the way of life in a particular place… seeing different landmarks. It’s more of the total experience that traveling is offering to someone who wants to have a vacation. I’ve been to travel expos and in the exhibits they usually tell me, “You have to travel to relax.” But actually it’s not a relaxing thing—packing and unpacking, and with arranging your accommodation, your fare, everything. It’s not relaxing. For me it’s educational. It’s something like going out of my comfort zone and relaxing in a way that you’re out of your usual routine, and you’re out of the things that you usually think of. But it does not mean that you stop thinking, that you stop worrying, stop being anxious. It’s in a different way that I welcome it.

 

Jay-R Patron: I would think you have traveled a lot, locally. So out of all those places that you’ve been to here in the Philippines, which one do you like best?

 

Claire Algarme: I like best… there are two in my list, Camiguin and Bohol. Bohol, it has so many attractions—from beaches to the river, and Chocolate Hills and falls. It’s very rich in natural resources with all those tarsiers. You can see a lot of things that you don’t normally see in other places. Camiguin, on the other hand, is more like a getaway from everything because you have to take the plane, you have to travel by land, you have to travel by boat just to get there. But you’re really far away from everything. I like those places.

 

Jay-R Patron: So you have probably experienced the different cultures that we have in this country. My question, do you find any common denominator for being Filipino?

 

Claire Algarme: For being Filipino it’s more of the hospitality. It’s like even if you’re a local stranger, they really welcome you. They really find ways to make you feel comfortable. Another thing is that I think people are really helpful. Generally, Filipinos are good. There are some instances that people would tell you that when you travel you have to be careful. On a positive note, from the drivers, to the ones driving the boat, to the passengers you sit with in the bus, they’re really friendly and warm.

 

Jay-R Patron: What is the most valuable lesson that you would consider that you’ve learned in your travels?

 

Claire Algarme: In my travels, it’s really good to engage the local people. It’s more of…because for one, of course you’re bringing something in to their economy by being there, but somehow you’re encroaching in their space, in their usual life. But then there has to be equitable exchange—you give them something, you teach them something, you show them something that is different, that they don’t usually see in their daily life, in exchange they should also do the same to you. You get to learn and to teach people.

 

Jay-R Patron: You mentioned that you’ve worked abroad. I believe that’s Habitat for Humanity in Indonesia. How did that come about?

 

Claire Algarme: Well, at that time, our national office was already…because they were going to transfer the regional office to Bangkok and there were some changes in the organization and they needed people in the field so I was one of the people who were tasked to help out Habitat for Humanity in Indonesia. We all know that Habitat for Humanity is really a US-based organization. Before that, most of the affiliates in different countries have volunteers who are Americans or Europeans. Many of them are white. But in Asia, it’s difficult because you have different cultures. And they said, after the Jimmy Carter work project, for having worked with many Filipinos, that Filipinos are flexible. They had a lot of Filipinos being sent to different Asian countries. At that time, Indonesia was struggling and they asked me to help out.

 

Jay-R Patron: What’s the difference between Habitat for Humanity and Gawad Kalinga?

 

Claire Algarme: I’m not sure with Gawad Kalinga. I’m not that totally familiar with their programs. Both of them are into house-building but Gawad Kalinga, they provide it for free, I think. It’s more of a dole out. I’m not sure if they’re asking payment from their beneficiaries. For Habitat, it’s a different thing. There’s Fund for Humanity where recipients get to re-pay what they have received so that they can build another house for another family. In terms of niche, Gawad Kalinga targets the lowest of the lowest of the society, while Habitat, although it’s the lowest 30 percent of the society, these are people who can pay and can give back to society.

 

Jay-R Patron: Why did you choose to work in the NGO sector? You said you have experience in the corporate world, so why go back to NGO?

 

Claire Algarme: Stress-wise, the pressures are just the same. But the fulfillment that you get out of it… it’s like, I’m a bit more forgiving with NGOs because I directly contribute to society. Unlike the private sector, the corporate world, it’s more of you know you’re doing something for society but you don’t see the impact of it. Yes, you’re promoting a good product, you’re promoting a good service, but you don’t really see the development in the beneficiaries.

 

Jay-R Patron: Why is volunteerism important?

 

Claire Algarme: It’s important because… people get…it’s not just the volunteers who help out, they are also getting that opportunity to help and getting that feeling of satisfaction. At the same time, most of the volunteers I’ve interviewed before, they learn a lot from these people. Many of them are young professionals who are cooped in their cubicles, in their offices, they don’t really see or really get face-to-face with what reality is all about. Yes, we get to go out in the street but we don’t see how people are struggling. By volunteer experiences, they get a taste of what it is.

 

Jay-R Patron: In your sense of volunteerism, where does family play?

 

Claire Algarme: The role of family… it’s like when you’re volunteering, you extend your family. Whoever you help out, a kid that you help out becomes your little brother. At the same time, the recipients of the volunteer work that you do also get to extend their family, especially the orphans who don’t have parents or siblings. So they have people to look up to and they see as a model. Basically, it’s more of extending familyhood to the society.

 

Jay-R Patron: Who influenced you, or acted as your role model, in being one for others?

 

Claire Algarme: Our family is closely knit one. We help out each other. Like my mom, she helps out her relatives, same with my father. Maybe it’s also in the education system. I grew up with a catholic church. Every time there’s always an outreach to the community, especially at the university. The state university, UP, has that mentality that we have to offer back to our country because we received a lot from them. Every where there’s that feeling of giving back, of always reaching out.

 

Jay-R Patron: Where did you grow up?

 

Claire Algarme: Bacolod.

 

Jay-R Patron: What was childhood to you like and what is your fondest childhood memory?

 

Claire Algarme: When I was growing up as a child, I had a special brother the youngest. He’s like our baby ever since, so we always had a baby in the family. I’ve always been vacationing with my aunts. Every time there’s a holiday I always spend time with my relatives. I go to the beach, I go to the mountains. Maybe that’s why I’m also a traveler because I grew up being a traveler and I was really born in to community. So, it was fun because my mother was a believer that education was not just limited in the four corners of the classroom or four corners of the school. She encouraged us to go out, observe things, absorb what life has outside of the house, outside of school, outside of church. It is very refreshing because I grew up not just having fun but I grew up learning all the time.

 

Jay-R Patron: Given the chance, would you change anything from your childhood experiences?

 

Claire Algarme: Up to now, no. I’m satisfied with what I have been through.

 

Jay-R Patron: What would you consider as your purpose and passion? What makes you get up in the morning and live another day?

 

Claire Algarme: Really being able to help someone, to be able to touch a person’s life. It’s not necessarily a street kid, even just my officemate, or just a friend that I communicate with. And it’s the relationship that I have the Lord. It’s something that I am really passionate about because what my relationships are in this world—with my family, friends, loved ones—is an extension of my spiritual relationship.

 

Jay-R Patron: What has been your greatest challenge and how did you overcome it?

 

Claire Algarme: Greatest life challenge…I think always the challenge of thinking what the world dictates for you to have—cars, big houses. Maybe it’s also one of the reasons why I chose to go out of the NGO world and go into corporate because I wanted those material things. The challenge was being there, and being ingrained in the system, and how to get out. And I think I was able to overcome.

 

Jay-R Patron: What would you consider as your greatest life achievement?

 

Claire Algarme: Greatest life achievement… ever day is actually an achievement for me. But the greatest I think… there’s so many. I think it would be helping people, and I’m also a passionate writer. Being able to write the good things I have experienced, it’s more lasting. It’s not just that I get to feel good about helping but it’s also more of encouraging others.

 

Jay-R Patron: Yes, I’ve read some of your write ups. Where did you get your adeptness in writing?

 

Claire Algarme: Since I was a child, I’ve always been writing. I don’t keep a diary. I have so many notebooks where I’d write short stories, poems, essays. I don’t normally do journals. I don’t really write what I feel. It’s more like I want to create something from my mind, from my imagination.

 

Jay-R Patron: What would be your message to individuals who want to help but don’t know how? I believe there is a consensus in this sector that people want to help but they don’t know how to do so. What would be your message to the prospective volunteer?

 

Claire Algarme: They just have to keep their eyes open because every day, everywhere there is always an opportunity to come. Sometimes you just have to verify because you also want to know where your help goes, or how it really affects the people we help. Just keep in searching. Like if you have friends…or use the internet. It’s a very rich source of information.

 

Jay-R Patron: And visit HandsOnManila.org.

 

Claire Algarme: Yes. Visit HandsOnManila.org.ph. Or listen to the radio. There’s always something that you can get…

 

Jay-R Patron: Or listen to Greater Good Philippines…on the internet.

 

Claire Algarme: It’s not that hard. If you’re heart is into it, it’s not that hard.

 

Jay-R Patron: If there was one message out of our discussion tonight that you would like to tell our readers or listeners, what would that message be?

 

Claire Algarme: 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. We have to go out of that burn and always put ourselves in the shoes of other people. In our daily life, there’s always the trouble like you’re in traffic and then somebody cuts you, you get mad but when you try to put yourself in that person’s shoes maybe he or she is in an emergency, then you get to become more compassionate and understanding. And then you get to think less of ourselves. In this world, especially now in this present generation that there’s so many things in store, so many things to do, we have to think more of other people than just ourselves. Sometimes the joy that we’re seeking is found in other people’s joy as well. So they just have to continue to reach out and always connect with other people.

 

(–:21:46)