Where We Work
The Philippines
The Philippines is an island country in Southeast Asia with an archipelago consisting of more than 7,000 islands. Poverty remains a mainly rural phenomenon though urban poverty is on the rise, particularly in urban slum areas. Natural disasters disproportionately and repeatedly batter the lowest-income regions of the country, miring them in higher levels of poverty.
Shirley standing on the island of Camarines Norte in the Philippines. Photo credit: Richard Wainwright/Caritas Australia.
The impact of your support in the Philippines
Dr Ben stands and listens with a stethoscope to 22-year-old Ronita’s eldest son Clark (5) in a small doctor’s surgery in Quezon City, Philippines. Photo: Richard Wainwright/Caritas Australia
Philippines
Population: 98 million
Aloma standing with mangroves that help protect her community from storm surges. Photo: Richard Wainwright/Caritas Australia
Communities can be better prepared against the impacts of climate change.
Destruction after Typhoon Paeng in the Philippines. Photo: Caritas Philippines.
Early warning systems can be installed in disaster-prone areas.
Vera standing near education centre in the Bohol province in the Philippines. Photo: CRS.
Climate science can be translated to practical action that is locally-led by communities in the Philippines.
Ronita (22) in class in Quezon City, Philippines. Photo: Richard Wainwright/Caritas Australia
Ronita's story
Ronita lives in Quezon City in Metro Manila, the Philippines in a barangay (local district), with her two young children and husband. She left high school after having her first child, Clark (5 years old), and was at risk of leaving school permanently when she realised she was pregnant with her second child, Egzy Grey (3 years old).
Ronita heard about Faithful Companions of Jesus (FCJ) and its programs, including an Alternative Learning System (ALS) program, from a friend in the area. She decided to re-enrol in her studies. The ALS offers students the chance to continue their studies in a safe, flexible environment.
As a result, Ronita completed her Alternative Learning credits and was able to continue on to senior high school, where she has now gained a Higher School Certificate. Gaining this in Metro Manila gives Filipinos the option to gain higher paid employment with better working conditions. Ronita hopes to support her mother, husband and two young children with a call centre job she has obtained as a direct result of completing her education.
I am so thankful for FCJ. I still go to mother's group and to the doctors a lot. When I did the Alternative Learning classes, I was really encouraged by my teacher Ma'am Jen and Ma'am Grace.
Ronita's story
Meet Ronita, a mother of two young boys living in an urban slum in the Philippines
You can help
Donate Today
Your donation today can help support long-term programs in Asia and other countries around the world.
Become a Champion for Change
By signing up to become a Champion for Change, your monthly gifts can help transform lives today, tomorrow and every day.
Give a Global Gift
Give a gift that can change a life and transform a community.
