A DECADE OF PROJECT PEARLS
OUR MISSION IS TO HELP THE POOREST OF THE POOR CHILDREN IN THE PHILIPPINES HAVE A BETTER LIFE THROUGH EDUCATION, EMPOWERMENT, NUTRITION, HEALTHCARE SERVICES.
PROJECT PEARLS
In 2002 I permanently moved to the Philippines after a long career as a printer and a publisher in Belgium. Blogs were popular at that time and I started my own photoblog:
https://my_sarisari_store.typepad.com/
Melissa Villa, the founder of Project Pearls, saw some of my urban poor pictures about Ulingan (charcoal factories located in Tondo near Pier 18). She expressed her sorrows after seeing some of my pictures and wanted to help the charcoal makers of Ulingan.
She asked me if I could help her and I accepted. She also found online PhotoKalye , a group of photographers, which was already helping the community. Together we started our first outreach in August 2010.
I never thought I would volunteer with Project Pearls for the next ten years. In hindsight I would have documented their activities in a more efficient and more rigorous way. Please note that this is a personal visual diary of me volunteering for Project Pearls.
It is only a small documentation of what Project Pearls has done and accomplished. I have many more pictures of Project Pearls activities that probably will never see the light of day. As Project Pearls grew, it also became impossible to document all their activities. Please also note that this is NOT an official Project Pearls webpage.
It has been an honor and a privilege to watch from a front row seat how Project Pearls, under the steady stewardship of its founder Melissa Villa, evolve from a small group of friends and relatives to a well-respected and multi-awarded NGO.
If you want to read how far Project Pearls has come please check their latest annual report:
https://www.projectpearls.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/2019-Annual-Report-Final.pdf
After 10 years I believe it is the perfect time for me to give the front row seat to someone else and for me to take a back seat on this ride. It has been an exciting journey and I am happy to know that the Project Pearls team is ready for another decade of peace, education, aspiration, respect, love and smiles.
One last thing. All the pictures on this website are mine and are free to use but please do the right thing and acknowledge me as the photographer on all your social media accounts. If you appear on one of the pictures and you want me to take it down please contact me at s.philippines [at] gmail.com
Let’s now celebrate 10 years of PEARLS !
PROJECT PEARLS 