When a child reads, they can write their future
The Hesser Foundation’s purpose is to provide these children an education, which will in turn give them the tools to help themselves for life especially now with the problems Covid-19 has given us. We see so much need and the world turns to us for answers. We have fires in the west, tornados in the center and hurricanes in the south and east. We believe that with all of our own problems, giving to children who live in poverty, insecurity and deprivation is too much to take on right now.
Without enough money to survive they borrow from their employers to buy food, similar to the company stores during in the USA during the 30’s. This creates a cycle of debt from which there is no escape. Their wages are also tapped for other expenses, such as transportation to the work. They live makeshift huts without water or electricity. These poor, desperate, illiterate parents cannot look toward a future. They see only surviving one more day by whatever means at hand, which means employing their children doing manual labor to help feed the family.
According to Philippine government data, agricultural and fishing workers endure the lowest wage rates among workers in every region. The rates, from Php 235 per day ($4.70 US) (Eastern Visayas), for farm workers (Central Luzon), and Php 262 a day ($5.23 US) for mill workers, are but a sorry fraction of the living wage of P1,096 – not even half the amount an average Filipino family needs for their daily subsistence, as prescribed by a 2016 study of IBON Foundation.
We and our children are literate, and able to make choices, we feel safe knowing our children can choose their occupation and build a future for themselves and their families. As a country and as a family we have some ability to care for our sick, disabled, and elderly.
The Hesser Foundation funds schools for impoverished students in the Philippines. When they are unable to pay the small fee of $10.00 for school and $15.00 for books and supplies, they must go back to work. They will earn $2.00 US per 10-hour day to help support their families where they are often badly mistreated. Since 2015 The Hesser Foundation has helped students stay in school by providing for their school fees and supplies. We desperately need your help, no matter how small the amount.
We have no fancy offices or paid staff. Our unpaid volunteers will make sure the money you give will go directly to the schools to provide the books and supplies needed for the students.
We want to stop illiteracy in the Philippines.
Please help us. Anything you could give will be helpful.
https://www.thehesserfoundation.org/support-us
Mike Hesser