In our early expeditions, we looked for ways to contribute to the villages that welcomed us. The most obvious way for us was to build schools.
Many young children on the islands have to paddle in the open water just to get to the nearest school. To avoid the danger, most families have their kids skip early education and go straight to grade school when they’re old and strong enough. Unfortunately that often means the kids enter school already behind in learning and are unable to catch up.
The Foundation builds kindergartens, daycares, and elementary schools on remote islands to allow the kids to learn, relieve their parents of the risks, and provide jobs for local teachers.
Our school structures incorporate the same bamboo bending designs we use in our basecamps. Having beautifully constructed buildings built with materials the kids see their parents work with instills in the kids a pride for their surroundings and culture.
Education is not only a priority for young kids. We also send high school graduates from the islands to universities around the country to earn degrees they can use in Palawan.
We’ve built and donated 5 daycares and 5 elementary schools over 10 different islands around Palawan.
The daycares and schools support 6 teachers. 30-60 kids go to each school every year.
Every Summer we invite kids to join a training program at our camps. They learn the various skills our crew use on a daily basis and get first-hand experience working in tourism.
We’ve had over 20 higher education scholars attend schools in Manila and Palawan in courses such as marine transportation, hospitality management, marine biology, fisheries, agricultural engineering, public administration, aquatic biology, education major in science, political science.
10 – Daycares and elementary schools we’ve donated across ten different islands.
6 – Teachers supported by these schools.
30-60 – Students who attend each school every year.
120 – Kids invited to join a summer training program at our Tao Farm. They learn the various skills our crew use on a daily basis and get first-hand experience working in tourism.
20 – Higher education scholars we’ve had earn degrees in marine transportation, hospitality management, marine biology, fisheries, agricultural engineering, public administration, aquatic biology, education major in science, political science.