Stories of inspiration

Learning with Love: How ShellACTS Volunteers Help Children Believe in Themselves

July 14, 2025

In a world where many children are forced to grow up too soon, a simple act of sitting down to read, count, or draw can mean everything.

This is the heart of the Basic Literacy and Numeracy (BLAN) Learning Sessions, a community-based initiative led by Pilipinas Shell Foundation, Inc. (PSFI) in partnership with ShellACTS and ChildHope Philippines. Here, learning becomes more than just a lesson. It becomes a lifeline.

The BLAN Sessions give underserved children a rare and precious gift: someone who believes in them.

Every Child Deserves a Chance

Many of the children who attend the sessions have limited or no access to formal schooling. Through the KalyEskwela program of ChildHope Philippines, they are identified and invited to take part in small group or one-on-one sessions that nurture the very basics of learning: reading, counting, recognizing colors and shapes, all through joy and play.

Guided by social workers and educators, ShellACTS volunteers become mentors and role models, offering their time, patience, and open hearts. For children who often feel left behind, these sessions become a safe space to try, make mistakes, and try again without fear.

Whether it is learning the alphabet through a colorful game or practicing math by counting snacks, each moment is filled with laughter, encouragement, and growth. Most of all, it is filled with love.

When Volunteers Become Heroes

The first session on May 4, 2024 started small with just four volunteers from the Finance Operations Credit team of Shell Business Operations (SBO) Manila. But from that humble beginning, the program has grown into a powerful expression of compassion and solidarity.

Since then, over 200 ShellACTS volunteers have joined the cause, not only teaching children but also packing learning kits, coordinating activities, and sharing meals. Many have formed deep bonds with the kids they mentor, proof that even a few hours of your time can leave a lifelong mark on someone else’s journey.

Each session is a celebration of learning, connection, and resilience. For shy children who once hesitated to speak, these gatherings become their stage to sing, to dance, to smile wide with newfound confidence.

A Growing Circle of Care

In 2024, BLAN completed six sessions, ending the year with a Christmas celebration filled with music, games, and gift-giving. In 2025, the dream continues. Three sessions have already touched the lives of hundreds of children:

April 26 at the SBO office with 20 children
June 7 at Jacinto Ciria Cruz Sports Complex with 150 children
June 28 at the same venue with 100 children

Each session is made possible through shared generosity. Learning kits, snacks, and smiles are provided by volunteers and supported by PSFI.

Beyond Numbers, It Is About Love

Behind every statistic is a child discovering joy in learning. Behind every lesson plan is a volunteer choosing to make a difference.

BLAN is not just about literacy and numeracy. It is about lifting each other up. It is about the stories written in coloring books and in hearts, the story of what happens when people come together not out of obligation, but out of love.

A Future Full of Promise

PSFI believes that no child should be left behind. Through BLAN, ShellACTS volunteers and partner organizations show what is possible when we reach out with empathy, humility, and hope.

Each session is a reflection of ShellACTS’ call to Serve More, a commitment to extend help beyond the workplace and into the lives of children who need encouragement, care, and support. It is about giving time, sharing stories, and creating safe spaces where children feel seen, heard, and valued.

These sessions remind us that true learning starts with connection. And in every child’s giggle, every volunteer’s tearful goodbye, and every shared story of triumph, we are reminded that we rise by lifting others.

Through the Bayanihan Bulilit initiative, Pilipinas Shell Foundation, Inc. (PSFI), Shell Pilipinas Corporation (SPC), and volunteers from the Shell Pasacao Terminal joined community partners to prepare Child Development Centers in Pasacao, Camarines Sur for the new school year. The collective effort provided learning materials, improved classroom facilities, and created better learning environments for 243 young learners.

Makulay Dahil Bahagi Ka: When Representation Opens Doors and Saves Lives

This Pride Month, PSFI celebrates Basha Cancillar, a community leader whose journey from a young volunteer to an HIV advocate is helping create safer, more inclusive spaces for people affected by and living with HIV. Through PROTECTS UPSCALE and partnerships with community organizations, Basha champions representation, dignity, and access to healthcare, proving that when people are seen, heard, and empowered, lives can be transformed.

More Than a Reunion: Celebrating Four Decades of the SKIL Legacy

More than four decades after receiving the opportunity to build their futures through the SKIL Program, alumni from Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao came together to celebrate a legacy of transformation, achievement, and service. Their stories stand as a testament to the enduring power of education, skills development, and the belief that true success is measured not only by what we achieve, but by how we help others succeed.

Project PASA Strengthens Sustainability and Community Impact Through MOA Signing

Pilipinas Shell Foundation, Inc. (PSFI), Shell Business Operations Manila, and Shell Pilipinas Corporation formalized their partnership for Project PASA (Passing Along Sustainably used Assets), an initiative that gives used furniture, mobile devices, and equipment a second life. Through the partnership, pre-loved assets are redirected to underserved communities, advancing sustainability, circularity, and social impact by ensuring valuable resources continue creating opportunities where they are needed most.

Makulay Dahil Bahagi Ka: How Joan dela Cerna is Building a Future Rooted in Care

After years of working abroad to provide for her family, Joan dela Cerna returned home with a renewed determination to build a future closer to her children. Through the Medical Scholarship Program (MSP) supported by Pilipinas Shell Foundation, Inc. (PSFI) and Bloomberry Cultural Foundation, Inc. (BCFI), she is pursuing her dream of becoming a caregiver while balancing her roles as a mother, student, and breadwinner. Her story is a reminder that when people are given the opportunity to learn, grow, and contribute, they can create meaningful change for themselves, their families, and their communities.

RESCUE in Action: Building Fire-Ready and Resilient Communities in Macabalan

Under its RESCUE (Response to Communities Under Emergencies) program, Pilipinas Shell Foundation, Inc. (PSFI), together with Shell Pilipinas Corporation, conducted a two-day fire safety and emergency response training in Barangay Macabalan, Cagayan de Oro City. In partnership with the Bureau of Fire Protection and the local government unit, the initiative equipped community volunteers and residents with essential fire prevention and response skills, helping strengthen local preparedness and build more resilient communities.