Raising readers one story at a time

Reading stories to Filipino children in far-flung communities has opened the eyes of Rey Bufi to many realities.

The founder of the non-profit organization The Storytelling Project reads stories to the children not only to help them perform better academically, but also teach them values and morals. In the process, Rey learns meaningful lessons in return.

To Rey and his wife Grace, these children are characters in their own stories.

“The tales they tell make a huge impact on their overall development. It helps them communicate and make sense of the world they are in and what is happening inside themselves,” Rey said.

While he admits that he was not much of a reader growing up, Rey found himself wishing that he was. “As a child, I always loved history. Though I was not entirely a reader, I was fond of listening to stories of hope and inspiration about great, compassionate leaders,” he recalled.

Reading helped him cope while he was having a hard time in college. “Service has always been my love language. It was in college when I was having a hard time and reading helped me cope. I realized, had I been a reader earlier, I wouldn’t have had a hard time. And that is how my passion for stories and service came together,” he explained.

It is a plus that he finds joy and fulfillment in volunteering with his wife. Rey said, “When we’re in the field, you get the privilege of being a part of somebody’s slice of life and this allows you to interact in a more compassionate and caring manner even if you only spent a little time with them.”

For him, raising healthy and smart kids should start with proper nutrition aside from teaching them good values. “Doing good should come from the heart, because only then will the people around you feel it and inspire them to do good as well,” Rey said.

Rey recently participated as host and storyteller for Enfagrow A+ Four’s Tales of Kindness. Its #HealthySmartKidWithAHeartcampaign features stories of kindness that inspire parents to teach compassion to their children.