Please spend some time reviewing the photos and reviewing what donations are needed.  Thanks.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is the Badjao Village?  The Badjao Village is in the Southern Philippines, on a little stretch of beach on Sarangani Bay that nobody else wanted, just a few miles south of General Santos.

Why did they move?  Originally, they were peaceful sea-faring people living on the Sulu Islands, who have become both war and economic refugees.  They are war refugees, because over the past several years, they have been caught in the violent crossfire between Muslim separatists and the Christian-backed government in Manila.  Economically, they have been victims of over fishing by other groups using everything from dynamite to high-tech fishing trawlers.

What donations do they need?  We are looking for clothing, toys, hand tools and money.  Click here for a more detailed description.  Currently items are being collected by Malibou Lake Mountain Club until January 8th.  Other collection drives are pending.

I am in a community service group.  How else can I help?  We are looking for other service groups (religious, civic, youth) that wish to organize their own donation drives.  By breaking the work down to once-a-year collections in multiple service groups, we can set up year-round collections for the Badjao People without suffering "compassion fatigue" here at home.  If you would like to introduce us to your community service group, please contact us.

How big is the community?  There are 1000 residents or about 200 families.

Why should I care?  We've got plenty of poor people from Mexico right at our backyard?  Poor Mexican peasants are among the majority of the people of Mexico, and in a stable environment.  The Badjao people are a minority despised by their already-poor "superiors."  They are displaced by war and by a death to their traditional fishing culture.  Their homelands have been taken from them, and their culture is slipping away.  They need our help and our donations.

Where can I find more about the Badjao People?  There are other web sites about the Badjao People.  These are not endorsed by us, but presented for informational purposes only.

Badjao overview (excellent).
Unrelated work in another area.
Google references