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Sol Matalam
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Philippines - Halifax
Art by Emily Honderich
Sol Matalam story
Sol Matalam moved to Canada in 2013 from the Philippines. She is a mental health advocate and volunteer for the Filipino community through East Coast Filipino Portal and Settle East Coast.
Resilience in a Pandemic
I am Sol Matalam, Filipino by blood. Born Islam, but grew up Catholic.
I worked for the hospitality industry for six years. I currently volunteer for the Filipino community through East Coast Filipino Portal and Settle East Coast.
I am an advocate for mental health. In 2018, I was clinically diagnosed with high-functioning depression and anxiety. This pushed me to share my experiences and be able to help other people through my volunteer work in Halifax Defeat Depression.
COVID-19 has greatly impacted my life. I was laid off from my six-year job at the very start of the quarantine and lockdown in March. The loss of routine affected my mental health. I treat this pandemic as a blessing and a curse.
I now found myself feeling that I am starting from the beginning, like when I started my journey in Canada in 2013. The challenges that COVID-19 has brought are out of the ordinary, but I am aware that we need to survive to live. As a Filipino, I am optimistic and resilient. I might be in a bit of a challenging time in my life, but I will pull through and be successful.
"The challenges that COVID-19 has brought are out of the ordinary, but I am aware that we need to survive to live. As a Filipino, I am optimistic and resilient."