“Children and youth have much to contribute to society,” says Apple Mae Gunsi, 21, a dynamic and determined indigenous people (IP) youth leader from Upi, Maguindanao del Norte province. Hers is a story full of dreams and inspiration for herself and her fellow youth.

Apart from being an achiever in school, Apple serves as a facilitator in various youth-led sessions in her community. For instance, as a volunteer of Ha Uman Association, Inc., she conducts weekly sessions in different barangays in Upi to raise awareness of the online sexual abuse and exploitation of children (OSAEC) and how to prevent it. She admits that being a facilitator is a big responsibility but she is all too happy to serve other children and youth, and she also gains plenty of experience in the process.

Being an active youth leader also boosted her confidence in dealing with people from different backgrounds. This made her the perfect choice to moderate several national and global youth fora, such as the International Day of the Girl Child Learning Exchange in 2021. These events gave her more opportunities to engage with youth from different countries, where they exchanged opinions and shared their advocacies and cultures with one another.

Apple notes that many children and youth are increasingly exposed to social media from a young age. She says kids as young as 9 or 10 years old are already using TikTok, sometimes dancing provocatively, when they should be in school, reading and playing. As part of her advocacy to build youth agency, she encourages the youth in her community to become architects of their future. She says, for example, they can spend their free time joining organizations to learn life skills and apply them whenever they or those around them encounter challenges. Another way for the youth to be productive is to be prepared for calamities and other emergencies, especially since the Philippines is prone to natural and human-induced disasters, and to put into action what they’ve learned in order to save themselves and others. They can also develop and show off their talents, such as through sportsfests, poster or slogan making contests, and various talent shows held in their barangays. Apple thinks the youth can still make good use of social media by creating wholesome and useful content for their vlogs and other posts.

Apple is beginning to see the fruits of her efforts. Many of the youths that have benefited from her guidance are starting to focus on developing their talents and what they do well. Most notably, the youths from Apple’s T’duray IP community have been increasingly embracing their culture. She is grateful that her efforts to foster pride in their customs and traditions have not gone unnoticed. She once joined a T’duray runway show to showcase their traditional clothing, and at the same time, talk about participation and inclusion to her fellow IP youth. Her social media posts, such as during IP Celebration Month, elicited positive reactions from many of her IP friends, who in turn shared them to others.

Now pursuing a BS Secondary Education course and on the threshold of a new stage of life and a promising future, Apple is holding on tight to her dreams and is determined to achieve them. “I will press on despite our financial hardship. I want to be a successful professional, with a stable job and a good salary so that I can give my family a comfortable life, and also pay it forward by sponsoring children. I want to travel and visit other countries. Eventually, I’d like to have my own happy and healthy family.” She also wants to be an ambassador of T’duray culture, which will give her a platform to raise awareness and speak up against discrimination. She ends with a message for her fellow children and youth. “Always make wise and careful decisions because you are the architects of your future. Don’t waste your time on things that are not important, instead, be active and productive members of your community. Being a role model for others will make you happy and fulfilled. Believe in yourselves and show the world the great things you are capable of doing.”