Building His Future in the Philippines: Andrew’s Story

For 10-year-old Andrew in Talisay City, school is a place to learn and a place to test himself.

He loves math and chess. He has represented his school in math, storytelling, journalism, and chess competitions as well as the spelling bee, often placing first. He’s a consistent honor student who watches quiz shows in his free time and plays chess with his older brother on weekends.

“I like joining contests because I learn and enjoy them,” Andrew says. “My teachers also ask me to represent our school.”

One day, he hopes to put his curiosity and love of problem solving to work as an engineer.

Andrew has big dreams, but his life hasn’t been easy. In 2023 his father died, and his mother, Marife, suddenly became the family’s sole provider with what she earned as a food vendor. Andrew still carries memories of his father, including learning chess from him.

Andrew has participated in Feed the Children’s programs since he was six. Over the years, his family has received food and nutrition assistance, school supplies, and hygiene essentials. At school, he is served nutritious meals through our feeding program, too.

“I like eating at school because I get to eat good food with my classmates,” he says. “I also like attending Feed the Children events because I get to learn and play with my friends.”

In Andrew’s world, these things belong together: food, friendship, learning, and play.

Feed the Children’s support cannot decide where Andrew’s abilities will take him. Lifted up by his family and his teachers, he is already the author of his achievements, thanks to his own determination. The food and essentials we provide offer something more basic: a day-to-day environment where he can keep learning, participating, and discovering his potential.

Today, Andrew is already doing exactly that. He is building his future one lesson, one competition, and one opportunity at a time. But before all of that comes something fundamental.

It all begins with food.