More than 13 million people live in Metro Manila, and many cannot afford the necessities of life. To this end, various impact foundations are working to tackle the issue.
- Synergia Foundation transforms education through the professional development of teachers.
- Haribon Foundation protects tens of thousands of hectares of forests.
Metro Manila’s Impact Foundations
This article highlights the top impact foundations in Metro Manila that are transforming lives through innovative solutions.
1. Health and Wellness
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Philippine Red Cross
Focus: disaster response, medical assistance, blood donation, etc.
Founded in 1947, the Philippine Red Cross has recorded outstanding achievements:
– Aided 1+ million disaster victims (2020)
– 500,000+ annual blood donations
Programs: relief, blood donation and transfusion, health care, and social services.
Success Story: A good example was PRCs’ swift response to Super Typhoon Odette (2021) which prevented thousands of fatalities.
• St. Luke’s Foundation
The St. Luke’s Foundation focuses on:
– Advancing medical and scientific research
– Enhancing medical education
– Promoting community health
The foundation was established in 1994.
Impact: Educated thousands of Healthcare professionals.
Programs: Medical Research Grants, Healthcare Education, and Community Awareness.
Success Story: The telemedicine program organised by the St. Luke’s Foundation increased health information accessibility to rural areas.
2. Economic Empowerment
• Tulong Dunong Foundation
Tulong Dunong Foundation provides critical support to micro-entrepreneurs through:
– Microfinance services
– Entrepreneurship training
Established in 1999, the foundation has:
– Empowered over 50,000 micro-entrepreneurs
– Disbursed PHP 1.5 billion in loans
• Gawad Kalinga
The foundation has been transforming lives since 1995
Gawad Kalinga’s mission includes:
– Providing homes for marginalized families
– Fostering economic growth
– Empowering communities
Impact: Constructed thousands of homes; established livelihood training for thousands of families
Programs: housing, livelihood, and community development.
Success Story: The community development program of GK transformed a slum area in Pasay into a progressive community.
3. Education and Development
• Synergeia Foundation
Synergeia Foundation prioritises transformative education through:
– Reform initiatives
– Teacher professional development
– Community engagement
Established in 2002, Synergeia has enhanced education for thousands of students and trained numerous teachers.
Programs: education innovation, teacher development programs.
Success Story: The Synergeia education reform program impacted students’ proficiency rates by 30%.
• Save the Children Philippines
Save the Children Philippines (1981)
– Early childhood education
– Literacy programs
– Youth development
Impact: 25% literacy rate increase, impacting hundreds of thousands.
Programs: Childhood education and literacy programs, and youth development programs.
Success Story: In the Save the Children’s Literacy initiative, John, who was 10 years old, and had reading difficulties was one of the beneficiaries.
4. Environmental Conservation
• Haribon Foundation
Conserving Nature Since 1972
Haribon Foundation’s achievements:
– Protected tens of thousands of hectares of forests
– Safeguarded biodiversity
– Fostered eco-friendly practices
Programs: Conservation, Education, Community Engagement
Success Story: Due to Haribon’s conservation activities, the Philippine Eagle (a critically endangered species) had a population boost.
• The World Wildlife Fund (Philippines)
Prioritises wildlife conservation practices and mitigation against climate change.
Established: 1997
Impact: Conserved 300,000 hectares of marine and coastal ecosystems.
Programs: Conservation and climate change.
Success Story:
Marine wildlife was preserved through the on-site conservation program of WWF-Philippines.
Conclusion
These impact foundations above have proven that every effort counts, every donation matters, and every volunteer hour makes a difference. We can celebrate and support their life-changing work by supporting their causes.
If this article resonates with you, we welcome your thoughts, suggestions, and questions. Together, let’s amplify the chorus of change by sharing your comments at the bottom of this post.