Changing Lives To Change Our Nation: How Meaningful Connections Empower Underprivileged Youth

My platform, Bridges-PH, was founded on the idea that no man is an island – that each one of us needs one another to make a positive impact in our communities. That very idea doesn’t only define how I service my clients but also how I fulfill my corporate social responsibilities.

I’ve always believed that you don’t need to have deep pockets or be a philanthropist to effect change. There are so many other resources apart from money that you can leverage to further the causes you care about. In my case, they’re the connections I’ve developed with various entrepreneurs and business owners over time. These connections have provided me the chance to involve more individuals and organizations in my causes, which furthers my and their social commitments simultaneously.

Whenever I am invited to speak at an industry event, I inform my host that “I don’t charge but I don’t come for free”. I point these industry leaders toward my favorite charity and ask them to make a donation. This allows me to share my knowledge with those who can benefit while giving back to a cause I deeply care about - a win-win.

The charity I direct my hosts to is Real LIFE Foundation, a nongovernmental organization that provides educational assistance to underprivileged youth in the Philippines. The organization believes that education can empower the youth, instilling in them important values that they could one day use to help their families, communities, and the country.

I recently chatted with Mae Perez, Director of Real LIFE Foundation, and Ria Catalasan, Partner Relations Officer, about how the organization is doing and the value of nonmonetary help.

Janet: Can you briefly tell me again what the Real LIFE Foundation is all about?

Mae: Real LIFE Foundation is a Philippine Christian nongovernmental organization that seeks to break the cycle of poverty in Filipino homes by providing targeted educational assistance to underserved youth, empowering them through character formation and leadership development. We provide financial assistance for the education of brilliant but financially challenged young students from middle school to college.

Janet: What is the organization’s vision?

Mae: Our goal is to bring hope and opportunities to more young individuals who have great potential to become the future leaders of our nation but are limited by their financial situations. We want to be able to help them bring their families out of poverty and become responsible citizens of this nation.

Janet: Why is this so important for you and the organization?

Mae: As a movement, we believe that God has called us to be His hands and feet to those who need help the most. We believe that access to education should not be reserved for only a few but should be available to all.

We believe that education is the best way to address the biggest social problem of our nation, which is poverty. For every year of education, an individual’s income potential is increased by 10%. That’s why our vision is to see all our scholars attain a college degree, be gainfully employed, and become model citizens who know how to pay it forward. Doing this can one day break the cycle of poverty of our nation.

Janet: Do you think people that might not have money to donate can also help the organization?

Mae: Yes. These people can help by sharing their expertise with our scholars, especially in subjects or areas that aren’t normally taught in school. We want our scholars to have an advantage in terms of knowledge and skills that would make them more employable in the future.

Ria: They can also connect our foundation to businesses that might be willing to be corporate partners, similar to what you’re doing, Janet.

Janet: Speaking of which, I’d like to honestly ask you how you feel about my own way of helping the organization.

Mae: Partners like you give us the boost in morale and confidence we need to continue our mission, pursue growth and expansion, and dream big dreams for our scholars. It’s nice to know that there are people like you out there who are willing to do everything within their power to open doors of opportunities for us to have even more partners in this journey.

Ria: You’ve not only helped us raise funds but also created awareness for our cause when you promote the foundation to those who host you for speaking engagements.

Janet: That’s nice to hear! Can you share more about how the foundation is doing currently?

Mae: Since you started connecting us to donors, the number of scholars and centers established nationwide has. When you became our partner, we only had about 250 scholars. Today, we have more than 1,400 scholars and over 800 alumni, and here you are still a steadfast support for us.

Ria: Your continued support, Janet, helps us send more and more scholars to school. You never stopped supporting us, even during the pandemic.

Janet: Why do you think others should also help or support the foundation?

Mae: If people share our love for this nation and are hoping to see a generation of leaders in different spheres of society who have strong values and convictions, then, collaborating and joining us in this mission should prove to be a great investment towards that legacy, whether they’re an individual or a corporation.

Janet: Once again, donating money isn’t the only way to help, right?

Mae: Right. You, Janet, for example, have shown that there are other ways for a person to help. It’s a matter of believing in the mission of the foundation and sharing its mission with your friends, which spreads the message that whatever work or donation put in is worth the investment. Through such selfless acts, lives can forever be impacted, in turn transforming families and communities. All this later on can leave a lasting legacy in the lives of the generations to come.

If you want to help the Real LIFE Foundation, please visit https://www.reallife.ph/.