At Wealth Differently, we like to walk the talk. Doing good is really important to us and it is one of our values. Philanthropy is something that we see as a way to give back and make a real difference in the lives of others.
We have a program of charitable giving as a part of our organisation but the thing I am most proud of is our small but evolving philanthropic program in the Philippines. This is a program where Wealth Differently directly funds the feeding of 66 preschool children once a week in the town of Medellin, in northern Cebu.
This program came about due to the dedication of our Client Services Manager Elmer. Over the years, Elmer and I have often discussed some of the issues facing his hometown. He has told me about young children going to school with not enough to eat and schools being under. The importance of education in breaking the poverty cycle is something that we are both very passionate about. So, we decided to explore how we could make a difference to the education of the children in his hometown.
Elmer came up with the idea that we could team up with the local preschool to feed their children once a week. This would give the children the incentive to go to school and would give them access to a nutritious meal which included meat, something which most of them would not get at home.
One year on, the program has been a great success and has become a part of the preschool centre’s weekly routine. I attribute the success to Elmer’s hard work but also to how we have structured the program. In the Philippines, the children go to daycare in two shifts, one in the morning and one in the afternoon. The mums hang around and wait for their children for the few hours they are at the centre. Our program utilises the mothers to cook the meals for the children and they decide for themselves what to make each week. We love this aspect of the program because it gives the mothers the agency to plan and cook the meals that they want to make for their children and also to make the meals that they know their children will eat! It gives them buy-in to the program. We fund the program, but they really make it happen.
I am so grateful to Elmer for keenly listening to the needs of the preschool, coming up with great ideas of how we can help, managing the program, and being the one on the ground who makes things happen. Our program would not have happened without him. Every week, I get pictures of the kids enjoying their meal and Elmer gives me the rundown on what they are having. From Pork Adobo to Tinolang Manok, my knowledge of Filipino cuisine is expanding! But most importantly it feels good to know we are making a difference.
Kind regards,
Shelley Marsh
Outsourced Chief Investment Officer (OCIO) & Founder
Wealth Differently
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