Because Hannah Passamonte grew up in different countries, traveling has become a passion. While traveling is a hobby of hers, it also has given her a mission to take on something bigger than herself: the education of the youth of an impoverished nation.
Born in Kentucky, this freshman at Lipscomb University can’t necessarily claim Southern roots. With parents as international teachers, Passamonte has created a share of childhood memories that are very different from most, having grown up in such countries as China, Chile, the Philippines, Saudi Arabia and Guam.
“Answering the question ‘where are you from?’ is always a difficult question for me to answer,” Passamonte said.
At the age of one, Passamonte’s first move out the country was to Guam.
When moving, making that transition from schools and a different home can be tough enough, but adding in a culture change can make the adjustment a tough process. Passamonte explained that her family is one of the main reasons she’s been able to make these changes so smoothly.
“Moving is always hard, but one thing that really stayed the same throughout our moves was being together,” Passamonte said. “I honestly enjoyed it. It’s something that has been a part of my life throughout my life, so I haven’t really known anything more.”
Of all the beautiful variety of countries she lived in, it is hard for her to pick a favorite location. From the tropical island of Guam to the deserts of the Middle East, Passamonte experienced more of the world in her childhood than most people have in their entire lives. When talking about Chile specifically, Passamonte only had good things to say about the country she once called home.
“I really liked the variety of different things you could do within the country. I was an hour away from skiing or snowboarding, and then an hour away from the ocean. The driest desert is in Chile, and you’ve got Patagonia and all the Glaciers and Lakes,” Passamonte said.
After Passamonte and her family moved from the Philippines, the country became their favorite vacation spot. One day when she was on her way to the beach, her relaxation time was interrupted when her mom walked over to her carrying a very small baby with little clothing.
Finally locating the baby’s mother, Passamonte’s heart hurt for the children in the country and the lack of schooling they received. She asked herself, why were there so many kids not in school? Who is watching these small children when their parents are working?
After walking through a random second grade classroom, Passamonte came to the conclusion that these kids were in need of a better education and learning environment. This inspired to start her own unofficial organization called “Malapascau Children Fund.”
“We are sponsoring 106 of the most underprivileged kids within that community to attend school. By attending school we’ve stocked the administrative cabinets with medical supplies so they have access to that too,” Passamonte said.
You can find more information about this fund by going to Hannah’s website: http://malapascuachildrensfund.wordpress.com/aboutus/
To make a donation to the Malapascau Children Fund, please contact Hannah directly.