In November, 2019, on a wing and a prayer, we established UNLAD, with the ambitious mission of new and additional pathways for our underserved youth to find access education. To manage our expectations, we took on the motto, “small acts matter”.
Four years later, we couldn’t be more grateful and humbled over the many small acts that add up to UNLAD’s progress, from zero to where we are today.
Baruyan Elementary School (BES) Philippines
Ongoing: Financial aid for 20 students for school supplies and basic necessities
Ongoing: Launch of the annual “Lito Cantos Award” to recognize 2 outstanding teachers, awarding them with laptops
2022-2023: Literacy and Numeracy after-school programs for 100+ students to remediate pandemic-related decline
2022-2023 : Transportation services for 20 high-school students to nearest high school.
2019-2020: Arts and Athletics after-school programs catering to 50+ students
Over the years, we’ve continued to partner with civic organizations and friends in the US and the Phiiippines to provide and distribute books and other educational materials to BES.
College Scholarships, Philippines
Ongoing: Financial aid to 5 young women pursuing engineering, nursing, and teaching degrees
Piedmont Virginia Community College, USA
2023, Ongoing: Establishment of the UNLAD Scholarship Fund, providing to date three students with financial aid for tuition fees or books, supplies, including transportation and related living expenses necessary for the student to attend and complete the coursework. Preference given to first-generation or immigrant students between the ages of 16-21, founded on our immigrant experience.
On a wing and a prayer: the journey continues…. WE’RE BUILDING A HIGH-SCHOOL!
We are now working with the Philippine local government and education department to build a high-school in Baruyan, near BES, so students can simply walk to school. In March, 2023, Terry donated the land upon which the high-school will be built. While this is a personal commitment for Terry to honor her parents, from whom she inherited the land, we plan to incorporate UNLAD’s involvement into this endeavor as we move forward. Surely, the opportunity to build a high-school there would not have surfaced if we had not been on the ground, speaking to the parents and educators about the challenges that an underserved community faces to find access to education.
Thank you for taking the time to read our brief update, and for being part of our journey. We are grateful!
With our warmest wishes for a blessed holiday season… Happy Thanksgiving, Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays and the best of 2024!
Terry and Allen