With a decade-long presence in certain parts of the Philippines, ADRA has a well-established relationship with many people in small, remote barangays (an administrative unit in the Philippines consisting of 50 to 100 people). The current TOGETHER project is building on a foundation that donors like you helped to build during the EMBRACE project. The earlier project focused on the first thousand days of a child’s life, especially ensuring proper nutrition. The current project now focuses on children in their adolescent years, this time with an emphasis on preventing teenage pregnancies, early marriages, and gender-based violence. The project aims to help teenagers make healthy and holistic choices as they prepare for adulthood.

Metos, a mother of four children, two of them currently teenagers, has found the TOGETHER project to be highly beneficial. The various boys and girls groups help walk young people through all the various challenges they may face in their adolescence, and the program also provides parents with guidance on how to raise their teenagers.

“As a single mother raising teenagers, I have often prayed to God for help. […] In many ways, ADRA has been an answer to my prayers. I cannot tell you how thankful I am for ADRA and the TOGETHER project!”

Another project participant, Mary An, has been learning from ADRA projects for quite some time. During the EMBRACE project, she learned valuable skills about organic gardening. What began, like many other ADRA projects, as a small kitchen garden has since grown into a market garden, from which Mary An earns a considerable income. With her profits and a small loan from the village savings and loans association (VSLA), she has also begun a small bakery, yet another source of income. Now with the TOGETHER project, Mary An appreciates all the help she is receiving in the process of raising her children who are entering adolescence.

Your ongoing support of ADRA has allowed entire communities in the Philippines to develop the skills they need to live a well-rounded, healthy life and to raise their children as well-adjusted, confident, healthy people. Thank you for your part in the life-long development of people in these remote communities!