Letter from the founder

Dear Friend,

Let me tell you my story. In 2011, everything changed.

A powerful typhoon hit the Philippines — families were stranded on rooftops, homes disappeared under floodwaters, and so many lives were turned upside down. Watching it unfold broke something in me. I couldn’t just scroll past or move on. I felt this deep, painful awareness: Why do some suffer so much while others — like us — go on with life almost unbothered?

That disaster made me see things differently.

And that was the moment Travolunteers was born.

At the time, I was already a professional project manager. I knew how to plan, budget, organize, and monitor projects to completion — skills I once used for corporate and government work, with timelines, stakeholders, and measurable outputs. But when I started Travolunteers, I realized something deeper: maybe I was given these skills not just for business, but for something more human.

This time, I wasn’t managing a contract. It wasn’t about revenue. It wasn’t about reports.

It was about showing up for people who needed us — and somehow turning zero resources into something beautiful. I was building a project of the heart. No company. No client. No funding. Just purpose. Hence, Happiness Project was born.

Every outreach I organized became more than a task — it became a mission.

A mission to prove that when passion leads, everything else will follow.

Along the way, I’ve been blessed with friends who truly love life — the kind who are always ready for the next trip, the next adventure, the next destination. They’re explorers at heart, full of energy and stories. But more importantly, they’re the good ones — the kind of people who laugh loud, care deeply, and are always willing to show up.

But it didn’t stop there.

That first year, I posted an invitation in an online forum — just a simple message, reaching out into the unknown. And to my surprise, strangers responded. People I had never met sent messages saying they wanted to help, to join, to serve. And they came. They gave their time, their effort, their heart. Together with my friends, these kind strangers formed the very first wave of Travolunteers.

Through them, I saw something powerful — how joy, kindness, and shared purpose can unite people who may have never crossed paths otherwise. That was when I knew this was more than just a one-time project. It was the start of something real.

Because what if our next trip wasn’t just about sightseeing?

What if we could go somewhere… and give?

So combining my skills and my connections, I started reaching out to more people — the ones who had just enough extra to share. And little by little, our “trips” turned into outreach events. We brought groceries, school supplies, food, toys, parties, even livelihood packs to communities in need.

And every year since 2011, we’ve gone to different places — not just to explore, but to serve.

I realized that we don’t need to be wealthy to give.

We just need to be willing.

Now, 15 years later, we’re still here. Still traveling. Still serving.

Still showing up for those who need to be seen and remembered.

Thank you for reading this.

Thank you for caring.

And if you’ve made it this far, maybe — just maybe — there’s a spark in you too.

The same spark I felt in 2011.

With all my heart,

Ghe

Founder, Travolunteers

Travel. Serve. Inspire.