The ICM Blog
What 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.
He 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.
“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.
Teresa 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.
For Pastor Ezekiel, only death can stop him from fulfilling his commitment to serve God
It is a demanding trek to reach Pastor Ezekiel’s home. There are vast green fields as far as the eye can see. Beyond that is his home.
CHCs bring healthcare to the doorstep of the poorest, most remote areas in the country
Health is a fundamental human right. Sadly, for millions of Filipinos living in extreme poverty, this is simply not the case. According to the Department of Health, half of Filipinos do not have access to primary health care.
Sustaining health, sustaining hope
CJ’s family cramps up in a worn-out house ravaged by Typhoon Odette in 2021. His father, Carmelo, faces immense challenges in providing for their family of six, as his income from fishing is not enough.
A mother’s sustainable future
Erlinda was left to raise her two children on her own when her husband died more than 10 years ago. They barely survived by reselling dried fish and other goods and snacks from their town market to their community.
Turning Life Around
Joan proudly shows her business Before the program, her life was mired in poverty, shame,…
The ICM community is full of people who care about effective, efficient, research-backed solutions in the fight against ultra-poverty. We would love to have you join us!
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