Category: Recipient Stories

Joy is a single mother of three children. Despite a stable job as a recruiter, she was unable to to afford treatment for her thyroid problem. Left untreated, Joy’s condition worsened. She lost her job because she was embarrassed to be seen in public. To help save money, she took her children and moved back...

Reynaldo Deles lost his eyesight in an auto accident six years ago.  Although surgery in 2011 restored the sight to one eye, a lack of money meant Reynaldo was unable to attend the crucial follow-up appointments and he became totally blind. Without eyesight, Reynaldo was no longer able to continue his job as a farmhand. With no...

Unemployed, with children to care for, Cleta believed that Transform could change her life. From the first lesson, she saw the benefits that the useful and practical lessons brought to her family. Soon after the Transform program began,  Cleta was in a motorcycle accident and badly injured her foot. Despite her pain, she still attended lessons....

Maria’s touching story of sacrifice, hard work and heroism was the centerpiece of ICM’s Gala Dinner in October 2015. As she shared her dreams and new-found hope for her life, and proudly watched her son Melvin perform, almost a thousand people were inspired to dream with ICM for the ultrapoor of the Philippines. It took...

Keren Nika Antipasado was not feeling well. The normally active seven-year-old was having sharp pains in her stomach that weren’t going away. Her father, Nick, a pastor, took Keren to a clinic where she was diagnosed with acute appendicitis and scheduled for immediate surgery. The problem was paying for the surgery. Keren required urgent treatment...

Mothers are delighted when at around the six week mark, their babies begin smiling. However for Ivan’s mother, Janice, that first smile was a painful time as Ivan’s grin revealed his severe cleft palate. Finding a cure for her son seemed impossible. Janice said, “We live too far from the city to afford the transport...

When ICM found five-year-old Eugene, it was obvious that something was wrong. In June 2015, Eugene’s spine had curved into a hunchback shape and the next month he developed a bad cough. After they had exhausted their finances and treatment options at the provincial hospital under government care, Eugene’s parents could only remain in their...

Virginia, 40, has lived with feelings of resentment and hopelessness ever since her husband’s souvenir business went bankrupt many years ago. When cheaper, lower qualtity products from China flooded the market, Nicanor’s  business simply could not compete with their low prices, despite the high quality of his merchandise. Eventually Nicanor lost his customers and had...

Last March, after completing ICM’s Transform program, 14 ladies formed the Tubtubon Savings Group. Initially, the ladies each contributed 20 pesos per week.  After two months they had enough money to purchase the item they chose to sell – detergent. Each member of the Savings Group took turns selling the detergent. Although they were able...

Six graduates of Ajong Sibulan Kindergarten returned to their alma mater this month to talk about their dreams and explain to their younger peers what they enjoy most about “big school”.  All six of the children are honor students, and they are studying hard to reach their young goals. Nine-year old Mary Grace Seraspe attends...