Posts by Bernadette Tan
Healing, hope, and a little boy’s future
Jasper was born with a cleft lip and palate, and from the very beginning, his parents faced an uphill battle. Rhea spent countless nights awake, wondering what kind of future awaited her son. Her husband worked as a construction worker earning minimum wage, they knew they could never afford the surgeries Jasper needed. In…
Read MoreMelvie’s journey to food business success
Melvie’s family lives in a small home. A wooden table sits at the center, just large enough for her husband and five kids to squeeze around during mealtimes. A short stone counter holds a double burner, with silver steamers neatly stacked, ready for the day’s orders. The space is limited—but Melvie’s dreams stretch far beyond…
Read MoreTransformed to Move Forward
Until Transform, Roselyn lived a life with a wounded heart.
Read MoreFrom Ultra-Poverty to Businesswoman to Teacher!
…through the Transform Program and the savings group, her dreams have taken form and flight.
Read MoreGemma’s First Christmas in Her Dream Home
Gemma is celebrating the holiday in her newly built dream home. For her, this house isn’t just a structure; it’s a symbol of hope.
Read MoreWhat started out with 16 members each contributing 18 cents weekly has grown to 70 members with investments of over $5,000.
Elsie, a Transform participant and mother of four, started with an initial contribution of P10 to her Savings Group.
Read MoreHe dreams of becoming a soldier, she a teacher. They walk two hours to school each day hoping to reach their dreams.
It is a blistering hot day. Rafaella and three of her six children navigate the forest where their house stood in the middle of nowhere. They walk about a mile more of muddy, uneven trail to reach the local church where an ICM staff waited to interview them.
Read More“Ma, I’m tired. Ma, I want to go home. Ma, I feel like I’m going to faint.” Mike-mike cautions his mother when he is not feeling well, which is often.
Unlike other kids his age, five-year-old Mike-mike is unable to run around and be active. He is easily fatigued and will faint or go into seizure when out of breath.
Read MoreTeresa taught her children their ABCs. Despite poverty, she is hopeful they will one day reach their dreams.
Teresa lives in a small house with a dirt floor. On one side of the room is a small cot, on the other is a makeshift kitchen with piles of charcoal and a cooker.
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