We are a Christian compassion organisation dedicated to restoring hope to Filipino children and their families who live in poverty. This is achieved through programmes of compassion that minister to people's basic needs.
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The social problem that underlines all other social ills in the Philippines is poverty. Poverty is not only a physical condition. Poverty affects the mind and cripples the emotional and spiritual well being of those it touches. It is an insidious force that integrates itself into unhealthy attitudes, perspectives and worldviews. The majority of poor people live in informal settlements scattered throughout the country. Most of those are in rural areas. It is a testament to how poor the countryside is that many still pour into the urban shanties for a “better” life.

In a typical urban poor community in the Philippines, you will find hundreds and sometimes thousands of people squatting side-by-side on a deserted portion of land in haphazardly constructed ‘shanty’ homes made from scrap wood, corrugated iron and plastic. These shanty homes usually consist of one or two small rooms and house on average seven family members. Some structures, however, are little more than a dirty wooden shack balanced precariously on the sidewalk. Usually people’s homes have been hastily erected with very little planning and with materials, which have been salvaged from around the community. Because of holes and cracks in the materials, many homes are unstable and prone to leaks and flooding. These urban poor settlements are often located in high risk or danger areas – riverbanks, dumpsites, low-lying areas susceptible to flooding, under bridges, relocation sites lacking amenities and tenurial security, and areas under threat of eviction.

Most adult males earn an income by driving a motorcycle with sidecar, which transport people around the city for a small fee. Others are hired on short-term contracts as labourers in factories or on construction sites. Many women earn a small income by washing clothes for the more affluent living outside of the community.

With a population approaching 92 million, more than 35 million Filipinos live in abject poverty. Practically this means that an estimated 15 million people struggle to find food to eat. The Filipino family needs £130 per month to survive, many live below this standard – labourers earn £3 a day, which is the minimum wage standard in Metro Manila (less in the provincial areas). That equals approximately £70 a month. A deficit of £60 means that as people struggle for daily food, any long-term investment in their health, education, and housing is neglected.