Pinay maid in HK climbs Africa's highest mountain




A Filipina domestic helper who made headlines in 2015 for her achievements in mountain climbing rose to prominence yet again after conquering Africa's highest mountain, Mount Kilimanjaro.
A report by GMA News' Katrina Son on Balitanghali on Wednesday said Liza Avelino planned for her climb to Mount Kilimanjaro for one year.
"Naisip ko, meron naman akong trabaho, meron naman akong sweldo, so possibly po magagawa ko 'yung dream na 'yun," Avelino said.
The domestic worker also went to the summit of the 3,180-meter Mount Yarigatake in Japan and the 4,095-meter Mount Kinabalu in Malaysia, and has even raised HK$10,000 for migrant domestic worker support organization Enrich.
Apart from mountaineering, Avelino also organizes hikes and lead 13 other Filipino domestic workers with other OFWs in Hong Kong's annual dragonboat festival this year.

The local climbing community, her employer, and some of her friends continue to give her emotional and material support unasked as she endeavors to prove that domestic helpers can be more than what they do for a living.
"'Di po acceptable sa 'kin na sabihin ng iba na ganito na lang kasi kami kasi ito na 'yung role ko sa buhay," Avelino said on Balitanghali. "Gusto ko pong patunayan sa sarili ko na kaya ko pong gawin 'yung gusto kong gawin." —Rie Takumi/KBK, GMA News

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