Kanlungan aims to serve, protect and develop children in-need of special protection and their families through a holistic approach and Christian care to improve their quality of life and well-being and to break the bonds of poverty
Kanlungan was established in 1988 in response to the growing menace of abuse and exploitation of the street children in Metro Manila. While Kanlungan means refuge or sanctuary, Er-Ma stands for Ermita-Malate, the former red light district of the capital. In Kanlungan, children are provided with the necessary care, love, protection, rehabilitation, and education. Driven by Unity, love, respect and faith and God, Kanlungan helps improve the lives and opportunities of many less fortunate in the streets of Manila. Our programs starts with reaching out to street children through our Street Education Program then encouraging them to the drop in to the our Open Day Centers and Community Centers. Short Term and Long Term Residential Care are also provided to the children who are in need of temporary shelter and protection. Children are also trained to independent living once they are reconciled to their families. A two-hectare coffee farm in General Aguinaldo, Cavite serve as the home of boys who are 14 years old and above and are hard core substance dependent. Kanlungan has also ventured into social entrepreneurship project, the KSEM Kafe which provides employment to our former clients as well as help send the children of our long term residential centers to school.