Jared Chan

I was drawn to Project Luminaire because the idea of bringing light to communities that needed it most felt deeply meaningful to me. I wanted to use my marketing skills for something bigger than myself, and the chance to work directly with children in the Philippines was something I couldn't pass up. The experience turned out to be more transformative than I ever imagined.

What I loved most was connecting with the kids at Alao Elementary School. Their laughter during our educational sessions and the pure joy on their faces when the solar lights turned on for the first time will stay with me forever. These moments reminded me why this work matters so much.

Knowing that our 15 solar street lights and 62 pipelights now help families feel safer at night and give children more time to study fills me with pride. Feeding those 80 hungry kids and seeing their smiles made every fundraising effort worthwhile. We didn't just install lights, we brought hope.

This experience changed me in ways I'm still discovering. It reminded me that real connections transcend language barriers and that small acts of kindness can ripple into something much bigger. Project Luminaire didn't just light up villages, it lit up something inside me that will guide my future service to others.