‘Once We Had a Dream’

When theatre becomes a voice for change

By Lisa Ante Pangan, Austria Photos by Peter Seipel

In autumn 2025, theatre director Daryl Jade P. Abaya toured with Vincent V. Arada, Daniel Kaen Camacho, Princess Ann Camacho, Michaela B. Canillo, Patricia Ann D. Ecalnir and William Guarino, fellows from the PREDA Youth Group across Germany, Italy and Austria. With their musical drama “Once We Had a Dream,” these young performers have been raising global awareness for years about the fates of children in the Philippines who suffer from abuse, exploitation, and poverty.

The group represents the PREDA Foundation Inc., an advocacy organization founded in 1974 in the Philippines by Irish priest Father Shay Cullen. PREDA is dedicated to protecting children and women and to strengthening human and child rights worldwide. In its centres in the Philippines, PREDA offers refuge, therapy, and new hope to vulnerable children. Many of them have been rescued from bars, nightclubs, or inhumane detention facilities. Through Fair Trade projects, including the well-known PREDA mango products, the organization works to break the devastating cycle of poverty and exploitation. (https://preda.org)

A tour of courage, emotion, and authenticity

For their 2025 tour, the young actors learned their entire script in German, even though none of them had spoken the language before. Their linguistic achievement alone was remarkable. But even more moving was the depth and authenticity of their performance. Many of the stories told in the musical drama are drawn from their own lived experiences. With only minimal stage props, they managed to convey powerful emotions and messages. They have proved that true art needs very little to make an impact.

There were moments during the performance that pierced deeply into the audience’s hearts. One could feel the pain, fear, and helplessness that these children once endured. “Were the ‘uncomfortable’ scenes too long?” the audience was asked afterward. No—they needed to be that way. The intensity of these scenes reflects the harsh reality many Filipino children face. As spectators, we know that the unease we feel will fade when the curtain falls. But for affected children in that reality, it does not. The play refuses to let us look away.

From the Philippines to Burgenland

Thanks to the dedication of organizations like PREDA Freundeskreis e.V. in Germany (www.preda-freundeskreis.de) and the Weltladen Eisenstadt team in Austria, the PREDA Youth Group performed across Europe, including in Eisenstadt, Burgenland.

Led by manager Petra Geiger-Kletzl, the team of the Weltladen Eisenstadt accompanied the theater group throughout their tour in Austria, demonstrating immense openness, warmth, and solidarity with a foreign culture. 

Weltladen operates as a nonprofit organization that supports social and sustainable projects in the Global South through Fair Trade. Her store sells PREDA’ s Fair Trade products, such as popular mango items, and allocates the proceeds to support the PREDA centers. Their commitment offers hope and reminds us that there are people brave enough to make the world a better place and be part of positive change.

I was impressed by this group of young performers and the people who supported them in pursuing their dreams despite their difficult background. I wanted to contribute too by writing about them. This is my way of supporting to create a better world— one where communities lift each other up and stand together for justice and compassion.

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How you can help

With a financial donation, you can help ensure that children find safety, freedom, and the chance to build a brighter future.

More information about donations and contact can be found on: https://preda.org/donate/

You can also support PREDA’s work simply by shopping at Weltladen Eisenstadt, which directly promotes these initiatives through Fair Trade:

https://eisenstadt.weltladen.at

FB: Weltladen Eisenstadt

IG: @weltladen_eisenstadt

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About the Author

Lisa Ante Pangan is an IVF nurse and visual artist based in Vienna, Austria. She is known for her FlowerEmbryoArt and Coffeepainting projects, as well as workshops that foster creativity and community engagement. Her heartfelt mission is to create spaces for human connection. She is an active member of the Halo-Halo Network and supports projects of the Filipino Visual Artists in Austria (FVAA), Sige! and Urban Nomad Mixes, promoting collaboration between Filipino and Austrian communities. (www.anteartsvienna.at)