Sister Minerva Caampued receives Mother Teresa Award for mission among the Agta

The nun was awarded the 2024 edition of the Philippine prize that honours the memory of the foundress of the Missionaries of Charity. Awarded for her 30 years of work among the indigenous populations in the north of the archipelago in nature protection, health care and feeding programmes. For the nun, the ‘strength and resilience’ of the Agta are ‘a constant source of inspiration’.

Manila (AsiaNews) - A nun who lives her ministry in the service of the needy in the province of Cagayan, in the north of the archipelago, has won the 2024 edition of the St. Teresa of Calcutta Award (Stca), the recognition promoted in the Philippines in memory of the saint and foundress of the Missionaries of Charity. Sister Minerva Caampued, of the Franciscan Apostolic Sisters, was honoured for spending almost 30 years of service in the Agta community, municipality of Santa Ana.

The AY Foundation, the philanthropic arm of the Yuchengco Group, and the Manila Jaycees, who established the annual award in 1983, recognised the sister's commitment and dedication to preserving the Agta heritage while providing education and development to the indigenous population. The promoters of the award, in explaining the reasons behind the choice, also praised her leadership in promoting livelihoods that are compatible with harmonious development and ecologically and environmentally sustainable.

Sister Minerva's commitment, the organisations emphasised, extends to nature conservation, health care and feeding programmes for the Agta. ‘She remains a shining example,’ they emphasised in a note accompanying the award, ’of compassion, hope and transformation, uplifting lives through selfless service. ‘May her unwavering commitment to service,’ the statement concluded, ’inspire young people and leaders to follow her path, leading with compassion and making a meaningful difference in their communities.

Sister Minerva received the award at a ceremony held on 4 October, in the month in which the Philippine archipelago celebrates the ‘Month of Indigenous Peoples’, giving ‘even greater value’ to the recognition, as the nun herself emphasised. ‘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 marginalisation,’ the nun continued. ‘Their strength and resilience,’ she concluded, ’are a constant source of inspiration for me. This award is not only mine, but a tribute to their unwavering spirit’.

The St. Theresa of Calcutta Award honours and celebrates the legacy of the nun (born Anjezë Gonxhe Bojaxhiu, originally from Skopje in what is now North Macedonia), known for her works of charity and awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979. For the promoters of the award, the Junior Chamber International (Jci) and the AY Foundation, it is intended to highlight the work of people who dedicate their lives, and their mission, to the poor or disadvantaged communities without asking for anything in return.

The president of the AY Foundation, Helen Dee, emphasised that Sr Minerva ‘sincerely believes in enhancing and strengthening’ the quality of life of people, even the most socially or geographically marginalised. Moreover, with her ‘various projects’, the nun has ‘improved the quality of life of thousands of people’, enabling them to ‘pursue a better education, livelihood and future’. Words shared and echoed by JCI Manila President Charles Gosingtian, who said that ‘in honouring [the work of Sisters Caampued], we are reminded of the profound impact that the dedication and passion of one individual can have on the lives of thousands. Currently, the committee awarding the prize intends 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 will continue to serve, as a living and inspiring example to the world.