children at water point, philippines
To reach the most marginalized children, Plan Asia is implementing a community sponsorship project that focuses on indigenous and isolated children (IIC). Working in over 215 geographically and socially isolated villages in Pakistan, Thailand, Laos, and the Philippines, projects related to education, health, water and sanitation, child protection and participation, and livelihoods are being implemented.
In March 2012, a group of sponsors from Sweden, Finland, and the US visited the project sites in the Philippines where they were able to see first-hand how their financial contributions have started to improve the lives of the Mangyans in Occidental Mindoro province.
The Mangyan people are from indigenous groups found in the Philippine island of Mindoro, each group with its own tribal name, language and customs. The Mangyan children are among the poorest and most marginalised people in the country. Their lives are often difficult, with few opportunities for education.