The foundation in Manila
The Tulay Ng Kabataan Foundation was created in 1998 by Father Jean-François Thomas, S.J. to help the poorest children of Manila, capital of the Philippines. Father Jean-François Thomas, S.J., supported by Abbé Matthieu Dauchez, manages the foundation in Manila. It is run by a team of professionals from the Philippines and a few French volunteers.
Tulay Ng Kabataan initially created two main programs:
- The first program focused on the growing problem of street children in Manila and offered a gradual rehabilitation and reinsertion toward an independent, self-supporting life.
- The second program was set in the heart of the shantytowns of Manila, in order to provide a pre-school education to children from the poorest families and to set up a nutrition program for undernourished babies and young children.
Though it started from humble beginnings (3 Street children program homes, 1 apprenticeship workshop, as well as 5 centres in the shantytowns), the foundation has established itself as a small but strong organisation.
Below is a retrospective look at the major actions taken to date:
December 2003 – In an attempt to tackle an undeniable and unacceptable reality, the foundation decided to create a new aid program for scavenger children living in the city’s central dump.
March 2004 – The Street Children Program, which, previously, was only dedicated to boys (most of them living in the street), expanded its scope by accepting to take care of young girls as well (today, 2 centres).
March 2005 – A special home was opened in order to provide proper assistance and care to mentally handicapped street children. A second centre was opened in September 2007.
Recently, the foundation gave birth to a new and well considered project in September 2008: a farm in the countryside, to take care of the young teenagers living in the street.
May 2008 – The foundation celebrates its 10th birthday. So much ground has been covered in the past 10 years…
