WATCH: Teaching urban poor kids the value of education

Thank you so much Rappler and MovePH for this feature! 

MANILA, Philippines – What is the value of education for children in urban poor communities?

In 2010, Melissa Villa was introduced to the children of Ulingan in Tondo, Manila. She was so touched by the images she saw that she decided she needed to do something to help the children.

What started initially as a feeding program in the urban poor community eventually became Project PEARLS, which stands for Peace, Education, Aspiration, Respect, Love, and Smiles.

“Ulingan is a community in Tondo where families and children make charcoals. She was really moved to see the kids there covered in charcoal. That’s when her desire to help the kids began,” Project PEARLS executive administrator Monica Aclan said.

project-pearls-juvi-ann-20170211_F2A225BF0A134FF38260FE3C9CFF9B95TRANSFORMED. Juvie Ann is an example of the impact Project PEARLS has had on the Ulingan community.

Read the rest of the story here.


Project PEARLS is a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organization with the State of California with a Federal Tax Id: 27-2624202.

Project PEARLS is a non-stock, non-profit and non-partisan organization registered under the laws of the Republic of the Philippines with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on June 6, 2011 with Company Registration Number: CN201109816 and Company Tax Identification Number: 008-060-835-000