How I Have Given Back to Communities Close to my Heart
Written by Zoe Pecson
Since starting college, I have committed myself to working as a College Outreach Program Ambassador for the PUSO Foundation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that is Filipino-founded and focused on creating meaningful change in underserved communities. In this role, I’ve helped organize donation drives, promoted fundraising efforts, and connected other students to philanthropic opportunities. It has been a way for me to stay rooted in my culture while also expanding my impact beyond campus. Being part of PUSO has reminded me that service doesn’t have to be grand to matter. Every small effort adds up, and we’re stronger together when we show up for one another.
This has never felt more true to me than this past summer, when I was given the incredible opportunity to be part of PUSO’s inaugural Immersion Program. After six months of planning with other college students from across the country and members of PUSO’s leadership team, I traveled to the Philippines and worked directly with the communities the foundation supports. I helped lead school supply distributions, assisted in the foundation’s 2025 Medical Mission, and spent time with families and PUSO beneficiaries whose daily experiences reminded me why this work matters. Being there in person made everything feel real in a way that photos and stories never could. It grounded me, pushed me to reflect on my own privileges, and strengthened my desire to continue giving back to the places and people who have shaped who I am, whether directly or indirectly.
I had spent so much of my life supporting communities like these from afar, but meeting the people whose lives my work has touched was eye-opening in a way I will never forget. I met children in the school systems of Napindan in Manila and heard firsthand from their teachers and neighbors about the realities of their education. I traveled up to the mountains of Pampanga, where my own family is from, and spent time with the children and elders of the Aeta Tribe, learning about their culture, their way of life, and the discrimination many of them face. I visited families in the Province who were part of PUSO’s Hope Reframed Project, and I stood in the homes that PUSO rebuilt after typhoons destroyed everything they had. Hearing the stories of parents who lost children, parents who have to leave home for months to find work, families with little access to affordable healthcare, and still seeing their resilience and unshakable hope was something that stayed with me.
During the Medical Mission, I watched volunteer doctors and nurses diagnose and care for residents of a small, geographically isolated island with almost no support from the mainland. We learned so much about their challenges, from limited schooling to the difficulty of keeping their community connected and supported. When the people of this island held our hands and thanked us for not forgetting them, for showing up and showing them love, it changed me on a level that is hard to put into words. It is an experience I will carry with me forever.
Meeting people face to face taught me how powerful a genuine connection can be. Service isn’t just about what you give, but it’s about listening, understanding someone’s reality, and showing up with compassion. It made me more intentional, more patient, and more aware of how much we can learn simply by being present. Those moments reminded me that communities thrive not because of resources alone, but because of people who care enough to support one another.
My experience this past summer has stayed with me, and it’s changed the way I approach leadership and service. I carry those stories and faces with me in everything I do, whether it’s organizing cultural events, supporting Filipino student groups, or encouraging others to get involved. I want to keep building a community that reflects the same kindness and strength I felt during the Immersion Program experience.
Follow us on Instagram!
