Our Story

A Story of Hope: How One Act of Kindness Became a Beacon for Thousands

It began with a simple promise between friends.

In 2008, Melissa Villa was heartbroken to learn of the struggles of her childhood friend, Luz, who is deaf and mute, and her two young daughters. Moved by love, Melissa and her daughter, Francesca, started helping them. This single, humble act was the first spark—a quiet commitment that would soon grow into a roaring fire of hope.

That fire was ignited in 2010 by a series of haunting photographs. Belgian photojournalist Sidney Snoeck captured images of a place called Ulingan—a “charcoal factory” where families lived in unimaginable conditions. Melissa saw pictures of children covered in black soot, their eyes peering through the grime. Her heart shattered, and in that moment, a profound certainty took hold: she had to do something.

Driven by that conviction, Melissa, alongside her family and a handful of dedicated volunteers, founded Project PEARLS. They stepped into Ulingan, a community where families breathed toxic fumes all day, battling heat, filth, and disease to earn less than $2. The word “inhabitable” couldn’t capture the reality; it was a miracle anyone survived.

But hope is a powerful force.

In 2013, a miracle of a different kind happened: the families were relocated to a safe, new community in Bulacan. The children, who once knew only soot and smoke, could finally breathe clean air and play freely.

The story didn’t end there—it transformed. Project PEARLS moved with them. What started as aid became a foundation for a future. Today, the organization provides monthly outreach, builds classrooms in a Learning Center, serves daily breakfasts, and most importantly, offers scholarship grants. They turned survival into aspiration, giving children the tools to write their own destinies.

From helping one friend in need, Project PEARLS now serves thousands of meals weekly and nurtures the dreams of countless children. It is living proof that a single spark of compassion, once lit, can grow to illuminate an entire sky.

Project PEARLS: Peace, Education, Aspiration, Respect, Love, Smiles.