Project PEARLS has been featured a few times by us before and this amazing charity has been busy all year providing daily soup kitchens, scholarships and educational activities for children in the poorest parts of Manila. Now, with Christmas nearly upon us again, it is time to highlight their great ‘Adopt a PEARLS Family’ program, an activity that lets you share the spirit of the festive season with those less fortunate.
Melissa Villa, founder of Project PEARLS
For many families in the poorest parts of Tondo, Christmas dinner means a plate of pag pag – recooked food thrown away by others and collected from the garbage dump they are forced to call home, and when it comes to presents for the children, the choice is often dictated by the severely limited financial budgets many families in areas like Happyland operate on. To have a dignified and peaceful Christmas is an almost impossible task for many residents of this area.
Project PEARLS carries out real and effective grassroots work in the poorest parts of Manila
This is where Project PEARLS is trying to make a difference every year by asking for donations towards their ‘Adopt a PEARLS Family’ program. For only $20, or PHP1000, one family will receive a Christmas Dinner Pack good for 8 and all the children will also receive Christmas gifts. This program is about giving families a decent dinner when they gather around the table with their loved ones on Christmas Day, and for the children to be able to enjoy having Christmas presents to open.
Last year over a thousand families received Christmas Dinner Packs and over 3000 children had Christmas gifts thanks to this program, and the goal is to exceed this number this year.
Donating towards this program is easy and can be done via Paypal, bank transfer or cheque from the Philippines, the USA or elsewhere. Detailed instructions can be found on the Project PEARLS website:
Project Pearls
projectpearls.org/adopt-a-pearls-family
