At Wilhelmsen Ship Management, we firmly believe in the power of compassion, empathy, and making a positive impact on the lives of others. Today, we are proud to share a heartwarming story that has not only touched our hearts but has inspired us to take action and give back to our community in a truly meaningful way.

When it rains in Manila, Sister Lannie worries about the water seepage from the external walls may continue to deteriorate the living conditions of the children residing in Holy Family Home Makati Foundation (HFMF). This home has been serving underprivileged girls living in difficult circumstances since 1991. The home's external walls with inferior watertightness have withstood many typhoons and storms but not much longer as the cracks on the walls are growing in visibility.  

We learnt about this as we have recently discovered that one of our dedicated employees, grew up in this home during her adolescent years. The home had provided her with shelter, support, and a second chance at life. As we heard her heartfelt stories of the challenges faced by the home, especially heavy rains that caused water seepage through its exterior walls, we knew we had to do something to make a difference.

Driven by the desire to improve the living conditions of the girls who now call that home their own, we initiated a philanthropy project. With that, we have sponsored the waterproofing and repainting costs of the exterior wall of the home.

In addition, our seafarers and employees would like to contribute their time and energy to further increase the living standards of the home. With that, we had organized a trip to the home to bring 60 pairs of able hands to work on general repairs of the home. In return, the girls gave us a well-rehearsed performance.

The day started with a welcome speech by Sister Lannie and dance performances by the girls. We had lunch and good conversations with the girls

Our seafarers and employees carried out the general repair works after lunch. The girls also participated in the repair works and had good guidance from our team. With good teamwork, we completed the repair works within a short time and even had time for ice cream to end the fruitful day.  

Our seafarers and employees in action : painting, cleaning the fans and gardening

Thanks to the generosity of our amazing team, we were able to donate the full repair cost and upgraded the living conditions in the home, demonstrating our commitment not only to our seafarers and employees but also to the wider community. It is our belief that everyone deserves a secure and nurturing environment to thrive and grow, and we are proud to have played a part in making this a reality.

This project serves as a testament to the values we uphold at Wilhelmsen Ship Management. We firmly believe that acts of kindness and philanthropy have the power to change lives, inspire hope, and create a ripple effect of positivity. By supporting causes that are close to our seafarers and employees' hearts, we strengthen our bond as a team and foster a culture of compassion and social responsibility.

We extend our heartfelt gratitude to our employee for sharing her personal journey with us, reminding us of the resilience and determination that exists within each individual. We are honored to have been entrusted with this opportunity to make a lasting impact on the lives of those who have walked a similar path.

We hope the upgraded home will continue to be a safe and secure forteress for the girls grow up to become active and productive members of the society.

About Holy Family Home Makati Foundation Inc
HFMF serves female children and youth living in difficult circumstances; such as indigent, neglected, maltreated and street children. Normally, the residents’ age ranges from 6 to 21 years old. At present, HFHMFI houses twelve girls, supervised by five Sisters.  The children are provided with food, lodging, clothing, medicine, education and other basic needs, which are made possible mostly through donations.

The mission of HFMF is to welcome, protect and rehabilitate marginalized girls, and equip them with the skills, knowledge and self-confidence to help them become active and productive members of society with strong values.  The mission is reflected in the organization’s motto: “A child redeemed is a generation saved.”