Care bear
A TAO researcher discovers what’s important in development work
by Gwen Lucero
“When you have learned to take care of yourself and your relationships, it will be easier to understand and to work for the development of other people’s lives not according to your standards but according to the people’s standards even if sometimes these contradict each other and complicate matters.”
Development work. What does it mean? Who are the people we call development workers? What do they do? These are some questions I’ve been asking myself.
Time and again, I have been drawn to reach out to those who are less fortunate than I am not only economically but also in other aspects. Although my life is far from perfect, I consider myself very blessed to have all I need to be happy. I have my family who complicates my otherwise boring life. I have my friends who I have known from preschool to the present who stimulate me intellectually or help me to be emotionally and socially grounded. I have been blessed with the gift of faith in a Higher Being who I rely on when nothing seems to make sense. The gratitude I feel for all these blessings does not allow me to remain unaffected by all the pain I see around me. And so I help others to lessen if not remove the ache I feel inside.
The way I see it, development work should first look into the individual, the development worker. It’s best to understand your motives and to recognize that what you want for yourself may not be what others want for themselves. Thus development work is not about what you want for others but what others want for themselves or their loved ones. On the other hand, respect for other people’s beliefs and way of life should not stop you from having discussions or arguments since these are also necessary to better understand yourself, others, and the system that binds you together. The study I did with TAO-Pilipinas on the lessons learned by different communities in their struggle for security of land tenure provided new insights that direct me in the career I’ve taken, grown to love and still trying to understand.
Aside from knowing yourself, it’s also important to take care of yourself and the significant people in your life because how you take care of yourself and your loved ones would be the same way you take care of others. For some time, I’ve been confused why development workers work passionately to improve the lives of other people and yet fail to notice the cry for help or attention from the people nearest to them, their family and friends, and even themselves. Perhaps it’s just work for them and its not who or what they are. But then again it’s difficult to be happy about your work and with life if you have not fostered relationships by taking care to make time for those who matter to you.
Therefore, aside from knowing and listening to oneself it’s also important for a development worker to take care of relationships. When you have learned to take care of yourself and your relationships, it will be easier to understand and to work for the development of other people’s lives not according to your standards but according to the people’s standards even if sometimes these contradict each other and complicate matters.
My experience with TAO-Pilipinas made me appreciate development work in a different light. I learned to listen, know, understand myself, and continue improving myself; to take care of my relationships; and to respect other people’s way of life and to empower them to take control and to plan towards what they want out of this life. In the end, development work for me is simply to work on improving oneself and others towards a perceived good.
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About the Author
Gwen Lucero has worked with both public and private organizations in various capacities as a researcher, writer, facilitator, resource person, teacher, coordinator, salesperson, documentor and volunteer. Her BS in Medical Technology, MA in Education and her ongoing PhD in Urban and Regional Planning are all driven by her father’s desire to see her become a doctor. Even if she doesn’t end up as a medical doctor, she is still trying to fulfill her father’s dream and at the same time follow her passion to help others by pursuing a PhD and a career in research and planning.
Reflections | rp | 20 April 2009 |
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By Budz, November 12, 2009 @ 12:42 am
PhD na rin ako NCPAG, musta ka na Dr. Gwen Lucero?