Twenty-year-old Marjhun Tajos already experienced loss even before super typhoon Yolanda. At the age of seven, his father was murdered in Manila. Nine years later, his mother died from breast cancer.
His parents' dream was for him to become a civil engineer. Concerned about the financial burden of such a long college program, Marjhun instead opted to pursue a degree in Secondary Education.
When Yolanda struck, the strong winds destroyed Marjhun's boarding house in Tolosa. Marjhun barely made it out alive.
He escaped with a few injuries, but his possessions were wiped out. With the help of surviving relatives, he was able to get back into school and move on with his life.
Marjhun then decided to join Clowns Without Borders Philippines, a nongovernment organization that performs psychosocial intervention for children in crisis situations.
As a performing clown, he helps put smiles back on the faces of children who survived Yolanda. Marjhun and his colleagues want to instill upon children proper values and a positive outlook in life.
Storms happen, and as climate change experts say, our country is in for more dangerous super typhoons.
The suffering at the hands of super typhoon Yolanda will forever stay in the minds of Filipinos.
But other things will also be remembered from this tragedy.
These are stories of surviving impossible odds ...
planting seeds for the future ... rebirth ...
and, finally, learning to smile again.
Edited by Deo Bugaoisan and Val Veneracion
Production and videography by Roma Aquino, King Arthur Maningas
and
GMA News Special Assignments Team
In cooperation with:
GMA New Media Inc.
Web Development Team
GMA Network, Inc.
Quezon City, Philippines
May 2014