Kennedy School Diaries: Pam Riordan

Pam Riordan is a teacher from HK’s Kennedy School.  She recently joined a group of parents and kids on an ICM vision trip to Bacolod, where she participated in building homes for slum residents. “I didn’t know what to expect but was extremely excited.  On day one of visiting the slum, I realized exactly how little these gorgeous people have.  I hoped that I would be able to help them, even if only a tiny amount.  We cleared rubbish from the site, dug and laid the foundations of the houses, mixed cement, played and chatted with the children in the community, visited the preschool and taught a craft lesson. Visiting the simple family homes of the school children was totally an amazing experience – they all touched my heart and I found it very difficult to wave goodbye as we left the slum on the last day.  To see the children with no shoes on, carrying buckets of water and cement, and helping to build the next house in the community was a leaky eye moment for sure.  The glimmer of hope and the smiles on these children’s faces totally puts a busy Hong Kong life into perspective.

“I’ve traveled quite extensively and am not oblivious to communities like these – but to work with a group like ICM who are clearly making a difference to the lives of the poor people in the Philippines was a fulfilling experience that I hope to be a part of again and again in the future.  I am already planning my next trip to help with teacher training in the summer and I hope to combine this with shoveling some more cement and helping to build the next house too.  Best I crack on with keeping fit – but who would have thought mixing sand, cement, water and gravel could be so satisfying! Thanks all at ICM who made this trip so fab!  Hats off to you all and I look forward to seeing you all again soon!”  – Pam Riordan Hong Kong’s Kennedy School is a long-time supporter of ICM.  Students, parents and teachers have partnered with ICM to build houses in the slums, donate school supplies and hundreds of shoes to ICM’s Jumpstart kindergarten students and to host the ICM Choir at their school in Hong Kong.  Thank you for your encouragement and support.