Facebook Stories debuted in August 2012 and highlights ways that people are using the social network for greater good. In a new installment, Filipino blogger Jay Jaboneta wanted to help children in the Philippines. He heard a story that kids living in Layag-Layag were having to swim in order to get to school.
Utilizing the power of Facebook, Jay started up the Yellow Boat of Hope Foundation and a fundraiser to raise enough money to buy the kids a boat. With the help of Facebook friends and outsiders, enough money was raised.
The story could have ended there until one big problem was realized. During slow tide in the afternoon, the water level drops down so much that a boat is useless.
“You can’t just give whatever you think they need. You have to really find out what their needs are. So it’s really a learning process and becoming sort of a relationship.”
Jay is still working on better ways to get kids to school and is even helping high school students secure scholarships. What started out as a simple gesture with a boat has now transformed into something much bigger: Getting children out of poverty.
Facebook uploaded a video documenting the journey which you can watch below.
