August 31,2019
Space Solutions PH
Makati City
The best way to end the anniversary month of Project Pearls is to celebrate its milestones and 9-year journey with the family, friends and partners for a special day.
People who have been part of our humble beginnings up to our current bigger and greater mission were all gathered one fine Saturday afternoon at the Solution Space PH in Makati City, Philippines!
We had several booths to showcase our various programs that we run to fulfill our mission.
All these booths were creatively ingressed by our hardworking staffs and volunteers just hours before the official start of the program. Hats off to our volunteers!
Here’s the list of our programs and special projects that were highlighted during the event:
Nutrition and Health Care. We built a Health Clinic in Tondo, Manila to attend to medical needs and health care of poor people who cannot afford to have medical care. We also conduct Medical and Dental missions supported by our partners and donors.
Daily Feeding Program. This happens everyday on our adopted community in Tondo, Manila wherein we feed hundreds of children living in the slums.
Scholarship Program. We have hundreds of scholars in Bulacan, Tondo, Zamboanga and Cavite from nursery to college. For the School Year 2019-2020, we have a total of 500+ scholars.
PEARLS Learning Center in Bulacan. We built a 2-story building in our adopted community in Batia, Bulacan. This serves as our learning and training center and also as a venue for medical and dental missions.
After School Program. Every Sunday morning right after the feeding, we conduct tutorial sessions for the kids. This program aims to assist the kids with their academics. We usually focus on the English and Math subject.
LitClub. This literacy program is in partnership with a global NGO, Litworld. We hold this every week on selected communities in Bulacan, Tondo, Zambales, Bicol and Zamboanga. We have Litclub mentors and members who regularly attends the sessions. Some of its sessions consist of read aloud time or storytelling, journal making, group works and artworks presentations.
Brain Booster. This program happens every Saturday morning after the feeding in Tondo and Bulacan. This aims to encourage children to bring out their creativity and inner passion for arts and crafts.
Cassie’s Bag of Dreams. Cassie Eng is one of our youngest volunteer and change maker. Every year, she spearheads fund drives in the US to give backpacks with school supplies to underprivileged children in different parts of the Philippines.
Adopt-a-Family and Christmas Toy Drive. This annual campaign happens every Christmas season wherein we give Noche Buena package and new toys to the thousands of poor families and children.
Memory Project with Project Pearls. Memory Project is our partner that distributes portraits to children. We had our Memory Project in Tondo, Bulacan, Guimaras and Tarlac in the past.
Fire and Typhoon Reliefs Operation. After the Yolanda typhoon hit Visayas area last 2013, we had the relief operations to help. And then last 2018, when a fire destroyed hundreds of homes in Tondo, we didn’t think twice to run a campaign and distribute basic needs.
And we also introduced our newest program, GROW or Giving Resources and Opportunities for Women. This livelihood program is initially for the women in Bulacan to help them have a sustainable source of income. All handmade products that they produce and sell were all made from upcycled materials.
We also highlighted our nine-year journey from a small group of dedicated volunteers to the foundation we are today.
Project Pearls started last 2008 when our founders Melissa Villa and Francesca were supporting a family friend’s two children to go to school. Two years later, Melissa saw a photo of a child worker in Ulingan, Tondo who was covered with soot and dirt from head to toe. The main source of this community where the child lived was making charcoal and scavenging from garbage. Since then, Project Pearls started to help this community through feeding and providing scholarships to the kids in that community. And the rest, as they say is history.
During the event, our Founder, Melissa Villa also introduced our future project which will be called as the Pop-up Bayanihan Village.
This will be for the homeless people where we can help them and for them to feel that they are not alone nor ignored. We are so excited to have this program on board before this year ends as everyone commits to help and support.
We are beyond grateful to have these amazing programs and fruitful years. We are not yet done and we are just starting!
Thank you so much to all the people who share their time, passion and blessings to make all of our programs possible. Project Pearls made it and continuously making it because of all the shared love and efforts.
We pledged to talk and walk our mission.
Happy 9th Anniversary Project Pearls! To more blessed years ahead!
Photos by: Divine Degollacion and Sidney Snoeck (Thank you!)
More photos are on our official Facebook page: www.facebook.com/projectpearls1
