The story of how it all started:

We were in the field, talking to farmers. We were getting their feedback to the previous transportation we provided to move their produce. Suddenly, a young girl approached us and asked her father (one of the farmers we are talking to) if she can go to “Bayan” to access internet, so she can research for her homework. Her father agreed and gave her 20 pesos. We noticed that she was bringing tons of notebooks & paper with her and so we asked why. She politely answered that she will write all of her research in the notebook, because they can’t afford to have it printed. And in that moment, we realized that we need to do something.

That was the beginning of our goal to build a Learning Center. We know that it was an ambitious goal for us — after all, we were still a newly established NGO, with very small funding. But we are lucky to have generous people behind our back, who did not only see the opportunity to help, but the opportunity to rewrite a chapter of someone else’s life — for the better. You see, majority of the students from the farming communities will not finish their studies because of poverty.

Fast forward to seven months later, we finally completed the construction of FOF Learning Center. FOF Learning center is equipped with desktop computers, printers and internet connection & it accommodates almost 150 students a week. All of them are from the farming communities.