PHILIPPINES Sister Minerva Caampued receives the Mother Teresa award for her mission among the Agta

The nun awarded in the 2024 edition of the Philippine award that honors the memory of the founder of the Missionaries of Charity. Awarded for her 30 years of work among the indigenous peoples of the north of the archipelago in nature protection, health care and food programs. For the nun, the “strength and resistance” of the Agta are “a constant source of inspiration.”

Manila () – A nun who lives her ministry at the service of those in need in the province of Cagayan, in the north of the archipelago, has won the 2024 edition of the Saint Teresa of Calcutta Award (Stca), the recognition promoted in the Philippines in memory of the saint and founder of the Missionaries of Charity. Sister Minerva Caampued, of the Franciscan Apostolic Sisters, was awarded for almost 30 years of service in the community of Agta, municipality of Santa Ana.

The AY Foundation, the philanthropic arm of the Yuchengco Group, and the Manila Jaycees, which instituted the annual award in 1983, recognized Sister’s commitment and dedication to preserving the heritage of Agta while providing education and development to the indigenous population. The promoters of the award, in explaining the reasons for the choice, also praised his leadership in promoting livelihoods compatible with harmonious and ecologically and environmentally sustainable development.

Sister Minerva’s commitment, the organizations stressed, extends to nature conservation, health care and feeding programs for the Agta. “He remains a shining example of compassion, hope and transformation, elevating lives through selfless service,” they emphasize in a note accompanying the award. “May his unwavering commitment to service inspire young people and leaders to follow his path, leading with compassion and making a meaningful difference in their communities,” the statement concludes.

Sister Minerva received the award in a ceremony held on October 4, in the month in which the Philippine archipelago celebrates the “Month of the Indigenous Peoples”, which gives “even more value” to the recognition, according to the nun herself. . “I dedicate it to the Agta communities, who continue to face the challenges of defending their ancestral territories, asserting their rights and preserving their rich cultural heritage in the midst of marginalization,” the nun continued. «His strength and resistance – he concluded – are a constant source of inspiration for me. “This award is not mine alone, but a tribute to his unbreakable spirit.”

The Saint Teresa of Calcutta Prize honors and celebrates the legacy of the nun (born Anjezë Gonxhe Bojaxhiu, originally from Skopje, in present-day North Macedonia), known for her works of charity and awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979. For the promoters of the award, the International Junior Chamber (Jci) and the AY Foundation, it is about highlighting the work of people who dedicate their lives, and their mission, to poor or disadvantaged communities without asking for anything in return.

AY Foundation President Helen Dee highlighted that Sister Minerva “sincerely believes in improving and strengthening” the quality of life of people, even the most socially or geographically marginalized. Furthermore, with her “various projects”, the nun has “improved the quality of life of thousands of people”, allowing them to “get a better education, livelihood and future.” Words shared and seconded by JCI Manila President Charles Gosingtian, who said that “by honoring [el trabajo de las Hermanas Caampued]we remember the profound impact that the dedication and passion of one individual can have on the lives of thousands of people. Currently, the committee that awards the prize aims to highlight in particular the work of lay people (or religious) who, like the saint, have selflessly dedicated at least 25 years of their lives to humanitarian work among “the poorest of the poor.” and have served, and continue to serve, as a living and inspiring example for the world.