How a yellow boat is saving thousands of children in the Philippines

Imagine having to swim to school. In the Philippines, this is a reality for many children. They have to wade through high waters from island to island just to receive an education. It’s a perilous journey. Carrying their books above their heads amid corals and crabs, these students risk serious injury. Anton Lim, a veterinarian and humanitarian, couldn't let it continue. “After realising the conditions that children were living through, we had to do something,” he says. To keep the kids above water, he built a life-saving boat. 

Lim co-founded the Yellow Boat of Hope Foundation, a non-profit working to provide transport to children who have to swim to school. Relying on donations, the project has been able to build boats for hundreds of kids. “When we started we only had one boat,” Lim says. “We now have more than 5 000.” Using the yellow vessels, students can arrive at school dry and unharmed. “Since starting this initiative, we’ve seen the children’s self-worth blossom,” Lim says. 

But his work doesn’t end there. Noticing other issues that hamper children’s education, Lim branched out to supply school resources such as books, clothing, and stationery. Today, his foundation is supporting over 200 communities. It’s also constructed schools and daycare centres, bringing classrooms to the youth. Now, over 11 000 children can access the knowledge they need to move forward in the future. What started as a humble boat ride has become a generation’s anchor of hope.