Street Kids Manila was founded by Digital Marketing Specialist Jason Mallari in 2016. Building this advocacy is close to Jason’s heart for in his young life, he was once a street child too.

Born and raised in the Philippines, Jason battled life challenges at an early age, growing up without the guidance of a father and with poverty constantly knocking on their door. The second among six children, Jason found himself stumbling through the mazes of Manila streets as their mother found difficulties juggling work as a laundry woman and taking care of him and his five siblings.

Young Jason explored Manila’s concrete jungle with his friends, looking for food and asking for money in different ways. He experienced the life of a real street child, sleeping on the floor shirtless and begging other people for food. He was also among the ‘divers’ who swam for coins that tourists toss in Manila Bay. He experienced selling vegetables, became a vendor in Cultural Center of the Philippines, then stopped schooling until one event changed his life.