OUR STORY

Formed as a nonprofit in 2012, Philippines Humanitarian continues the work started by Amelia & Diosdado Hernandez twelve years earlier, when they began helping impoverished children in their native Philippines obtain the resources they needed to remain in school. A retired school teacher, Amelia knew that education is the most effective path to long-term economic stability. Setting up the student sponsorship model we still use today, the Hernandezes and their friends provided financial and other resources to students living in Payatas, one of the poorest communities in the Philippines.

In the twelve years since Philippines Humanitarian incorporated, it is more evident than ever that education makes a world of difference, not just for the students in our programs, but for their families and communities as well.

OUR PROGRAMS

Student Sponsorships

Central to our organization is our Student Sponsorship Program, in which individual and corporate donors provide monthly or annual sponsorships to impoverished students. Contributions—which range from $20 each month for elementary students to $40 each month for college students—pay for school fees, uniforms, books, transportation, and other needed supplies. This financial assistance allows families to keep their children in school, rather than have them work to supplement the household income. Sponsors receive reports and communications from their students, and have opportunities to send them letters, gifts, and supplies.

ASH College Scholarships

Obtaining a college degree is the most effective way for our students to break out of poverty, and increasing college graduation rates is essential to achieving our mission. Named after our founder, the Amelia S. Hernandez (ASH) Scholarship Fund provides annual scholarships to college students who have outstanding academic performance, live in the impoverished regions of Payatas and Macabud, and have a commitment to “pay it forward.”

Amelia’s Pantry

Learning is especially difficult on an empty stomach, which is why we established a feeding program in 2018. Implemented by our NGO partner in the Philippines, we provide daily meals to the children in Payatas five days a week. Often, it is the only meal a child will receive that day. In 2022, we extended Amelia’s Pantry to the remote village of Macabud, where families receive monthly grocery rations. For both of these services, recipients are not required to be enrolled in our other programs.

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