Sixteen years and more than 180,000 children after our founding in Guatemala, School the World has crossed an ocean. The dedication of our first school in the Philippines—at F. Lagan Memorial High School in Roxas—is more than a milestone. It’s the opening chapter of a new story.
The Philippines represents a different region, language, and culture, but there are also similarities to our Central American roots. With more than 165,000 classrooms still needed and rural dropout rates persistently high, the need was clear—and the alignment with our mission was immediate. Filipino culture’s deep emphasis on family, faith, and community resonated strongly with our model. In 2025, we officially launched our Philippines expansion as part of Moonshot 2030, our initiative to double our impact and reach over 84,000 additional students in five years.
In Yellow Boat of Hope Foundation (YBH), we found a partner that shares our values and has spent years reaching the Philippines’ most geographically isolated communities—sometimes literally delivering students to school by boat. Their rigorous community selection process, grassroots relationships, and government ties made them the right partner to help us begin. As Dr. Anton Mari Lim, YBH’s President and Co-Founder, put it: “Humanity will never progress if we look only after our own backyards.”
This partnership has required real collaboration—including YBH serving as our employer of record while we establish our legal presence. Strong partnership means honoring your partner’s voice, not just your own.
Our first six communities span Palawan and Zamboanga del Sur. Building in a new country always brings new lessons, and our local partners have been essential guides every step of the way.
Alongside construction, parent empowerment workshops launched—the beginning of a five-year commitment in each community. We’re learning as we go: what resonates, what needs translation, and how to honor the wisdom already present here.
The dedication ceremony at F. Lagan Memorial High School was everything we hoped it would be. A priest blessed the new classroom. Students performed traditional cultural dances. Parents, teachers, and community leaders filled the space. The same spirit that has fueled our work in Central America was unmistakably present in Roxas—different in expression, identical in meaning.
Four more dedications are coming in the months ahead, and five additional schools are already underway. Soon, we’ll deliver our first classroom library books—a milestone we’ve been looking forward to since day one. Teacher training will deepen. Relationships will grow. And in just a couple of weeks, we’ll welcome our first corporate service learning team to the Philippines, bringing volunteers to build alongside families and experience this work firsthand.
We are newcomers here, and we know it. Every month brings new lessons, and we are grateful to the communities, partners, and supporters who are helping us learn. F. Lagan is the first. It won’t be the last. Join our journey.
We just reached a historic milestone! Thanks to our community of supporters and local partners, we’ve officially dedicated our 200th school in Central America.
This isn’t just about a building—it’s about 17 years of community-led transformation and the start of a five-year commitment to the children of Tululché II.
From Guatemala to the Philippines, our co-investment model ensures every dollar you give creates a self-sustaining foundation for education.