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Scaling a Social Advocacy through Love: Interview with Meryl Grace Agudelo


The Alpha Stories (TAS): Tell us who is Meryl Grace.

Meryl Grace: I am Meryl Grace Agudelo, Co-Founder of I CAN make a difference Inc. and I also work full time as a Nurse in the Philippine Air Force. I can be reached at:

Twitter: https://twitter/theICANteam

Email: merylagudelo@gmail.com

TAS: Tell us the story of I CAN make a difference and why you started it.

Meryl Grace: We established I CAN make a difference in 2011 together with my mentor and friend Dr. Michael Dellariarte. At that time, Michael was doing an experimental research on Solar Disinfection (SODIS) and how alternative sources of aluminum such soda cans, can be used to accelerate water disinfection in rural areas of Zamboanga Peninsula.

We pursued the advocacy in our hope that this simple technology will curb the alarming toll of water borne diseases recorded in the remote communities affecting largely the children. The access to safe drinking water should be made equitable, available to all.

From thereon it evolved and became a youth led organization that aids rural communities primarily on the aspect of health and education.

TAS: So, how did you put it all together?

Meryl Grace: Create a strong team and relentlessly pursue collaboration—it’s all about people! It may be easier said than done especially now that I look in retrospect of how we thread the last five years. Our advocacy is continuously propelled by collective kindness of people especially the youth and harnessing such goodness to create meaningful changes in poor remote communities.

We live in a time where bad things happen every so often that it shapes the new ‘normal’ and doesn’t hit us hard anymore. Maybe this explains the growing culture of cynicism towards love, compassion and the capacity of us, humans, to care about each other and be relevant in each other’s lives. Inspite this, I think the greater the cynicism, the opportunity to turn things around is just as real—this is where platform is essential. We need to connect with the right people to deliver the right results. In our case, social media has become that platform. It is free, it is accessible and it equalizes the power to connect, communicate and influence, to shape the behaviour where it is necessary and deliver the stories that need to be heard.

You’ll be surprised on the immense support you will get from the many ordinary people, small and big institutions and their willingness to help wether through seed funding, volunteerism or simply cheering you on and affirm that what you are doing is good—especially on days when you overlook or seem to forget your purpose.

TAS: What do you think is the most important part of starting out?

Meryl Grace: Every single day of engaging in development advocacy, I become more and more convinced that the most essential, is love. I believe it affects us in so many ways but more concretely, when we do what we love, we become really good at it.

When we do what we love, we become our best selves. And its only through it that we become resilient of the much needed growing and sacrificing.

To be able to move forward consistently, it’s vital that we become present in the journey of our team and the communities we help. The more we see first hand what they are going through, the easier it is for us to carry out the projects that helps them in a meaningful way. The thing about community work is that we cannot operate from the comfort our own homes or spaces, we need to be really out there and try.

TAS: Can you give us five strategies that helped your advocacy grow?

Meryl Grace: Let me share some strategies that I think were helpful in our ComDev advocacy.

a. Love, need I say more?

b. Build a strong team, look for people crazy enough to dare beyond what’s possible. Cheesy, yes! but necessary, nonetheless.

c. Collaborate, relentlessly.

d. Financial resources can only bring you too far, its not everything.

e. The trust you earned from people who believe in you, is everything.

TAS: What was your most inspiring moment doing what you do?

Meryl Grace: In the community I have met Loling who works as habal-habal driver and in his spare time he builds self paddled boats for the children in the area so they can safely traverse the lake when they go to school. I have known a story of a Parent Teacher Leng Sakili who converted her house to a makeshift classroom to accommodate children who could not attend school because they are at risk of drowning when they force to swim or wade through the waters as sea level rises. I also have the privilege of knowing and working with Diwa Cruz, a preschool pupil, who donated her savings in her piggybank to reconstruct a classroom which became the first Toy Library in in Patikul Sulu.

I am deeply moved by these random acts of genuine generosity from people who still choose to give, even if they have so little for themselves. They are my renewable sources of inspiration.

TAS: When did you consider yourself a success? Why do you think you are successful?

Meryl Grace: Its when I see how my efforts yield tangible results that affects communities positively. In the words of my friend, “Its so nice to look forward to something beautiful the next day and realize you are the one that’s making it happen”.

TAS: What are your success habits?

Meryl Grace: I read a lot and then some more.

TAS: How do you start your day?

Meryl Grace: I read my journal. It helps me set things in perspective for the day.

TAS: What makes you happy? Do you think being happy is critical in being successful?

Meryl Grace: On the surface I think its the scent of a new book, the strokes of a red pen and clean sheets of paper. More deeply, raw and genuine acts of kindness from ordinary people who choose to care, regardless.

Happiness is an integral part of being successful. However I think heartache, the sense of overwhelming failure and doubt is just as important.

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