Filipina volleyball superstar and Under Armour ambassador Jia Morado has a heart of a champion. Amidst the lockdown because of COVID-19, she has been keeping herself physically and mentally fit by training with her team online every morning and doing yoga for mindfulness. Herself aside, she has also been giving back to communities and causes that are close to her heart.
“Everyone has a role to play in battling this pandemic, whether that’s in the frontlines or at home,” she says. “We have to remember our duties and get through this together to come out as one strong community.”
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Jia shares: “When the lockdown began, my boyfriend Miguel and I really wanted to aid those hit hardest by quarantine, and we were sure that our friends wanted to help, as well. However, some of us didn’t know how we could help out from home. Others also thought that they had too little to give. However, in a crisis like this, no help is too small. That’s why we came up with our initiative called ‘Every Little Thing Counts’.”
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The donation drive has successfully raised over 1 million pesos during its first wave, allowing them to donate personal protective equipment to 14 hospitals. For the second wave, they were able to raise around Php700,000, which translated to 1,400 food packs for families in need. “We were able to raise this with the support of everyone – our peers, generous donors, and our partner organizations. In the following weeks, we’re going to be focused on repacking and distributing aid to communities we are helping,” Jia shares.
The star setter’s heart also goes out to her fellow athletes who are affected by the lockdown. “I’ve heard stories about fellow athletes who lost motivation because the quarantine took away the games, our training, and our livelihood as athletes. However, I am hopeful that things will get back on track, and that we will all be able to get through this together and play the sports we love the most,” Jia says.
Along with her peers in the volleyball community, she has also launched Solid Seven Academy, where they’ve launched a series of online conversations geared toward grassroots volleyball players and coaches – the next generation of athletes, as she calls them. “Our initiative aims to remind these players that the pandemic is not a reason to stop getting better in their passions – to stay sharp, fit, and connected. We’ve had so many participants lately, and we’re looking forward to reaching out to more players and keeping the love for volleyball alive.”
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