Local Leadership. Global Backing. Sustainable Impact

We build up our in-country partners to deliver the projects they envision for their community.

At the heart of our work is a simple but powerful belief: local people know what their communities need. Through our 3-way partnerships, we back in-country partners (ICPs) as they lead their own initiatives with vision and passion. Floradel (Flo) Abundo is one such leader in the Philippines and from small beginnings to significant scale, Flo’s story shows how local leadership, supported with the right tools and encouragement, can flourish.

 In the Philippines, the intersection of poverty, English fluency and internet access has made communities vulnerable to sex trafficking and online sexual exploitation (OSEC). Through Project J999N Captivating Philippines- Stop Trafficking/Empower Women, Flo and the Sanghaya Foundation team fight exploitation through a multi-pronged strategy of prevention, restoration and reintegration, from school-based awareness programs to microfinance initiatives for mothers.

GDG’s Joel Pearson and Jenny Wegner’s monitoring visit in March this year highlighted Flo and her team’s passion and adaptability in strengthening programs after post-COVID challenges. This is what sustainable impact looks like: local leaders with vision, backed by donors who believe in their potential.

 We asked Flo to share about her vision and passion for the challenges in her community and here’s what she had to say:

What inspired you to start the J999N Stop Trafficking/Empower Women project?

I’ve always had a heart for leadership and community building—rallying pe