 20 years ago I visited for the first time the squatter areas, where people lived in utmost poverty just outside Manila. Father Nip guided me around and introduced me to the familes, many of which I still regularly visit. We formed St. Hannibal Foundation and have been supporting a primary school for 60 children and also about 15 high school and university scholars. Through the years we have got many alumni, which we are still in contact with during our visits to the Philippines.
A few years after the start I was joined by Kerstin and Karl-Axel Granlund, who have been great supporters of the foundation since that time. And around 10 years ago Father Eric joined as the administrator. All administration is handled by the Rogationist Fathers' Church (part of the Catholic Church) and all money given by us or by other contributors is given directly to the scholars or pupils for their books, food, uniforms etc. and as salary for the teachers. Nothing goes to any administration which is all provided by the Church.
 Jennifer and I go regularly a couple of times a year to meet the students and the teachers and to talk to Fr. Eric. Fr. Eric has also been several times to Europe and visited us in England and Sweden. He took part in Adèle's Christening in 2005 and in the Christening of Eric (our son) in 2008 and he has met Michael, the vicar of the Swedish Church and also our local clergy at Exeter Cathedral.
One of our special students was Onneth. She graduated as a medical doctor in 2003 after I had supported her during 8 years. She has no father and calls me her "souldad". She came over to Sweden during Jennifer's and my wedding and the christening of Adèle and gave a speech for the 230 guests, which made everyone cry and I think everyone there still remembers.
But Onneth is just one example of the many success stories we have. The distance from the happy, well fed and successful children and young men and women you see in the photos, and the life in the squatter areas they came from couldn't be bigger. But still they never forget their background and their responsibility for their families.
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