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
Ronita (22) walks to her senior high school in Quezon City, Philippines. Photo: Richard Wainwright/Caritas Australia
Non-formal education opportunities are available for out of school youth learn skills to improve their employment prospects.
Ronita (22) outside her small home in Quezon City, Philippines. Photo: Richard Wainwright/Caritas Australia
Improved access to housing and sanitation, with the construction of better homes and increased access to toilets.
Shirley administers multivitamins drops to a child at a local government health clinic. Photo: Richard Wainwright.
Regular health check-ups for families to increase their nutritional knowledge and facilitate access to basic health services.
Aloma working on the accounts for the Baranguy Pag-Asa Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) Committee at her home. Aloma receiving training in environmental conservation and protection and in Disaster Risk Reduction in Camarines Norte in the Philippines. Photo: Richard Wainwright/Caritas Australia
Support to start up small businesses such as food processing and baking to increase income.
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
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