Ten Foundations are a non-profit charity founded in Belfast in 2012 which aims to empower women living in extreme poverty in the Philippines, escape deprivation and support their families.

Accommodation standards remain impoverished with many families living in rudimentary ‘shacks’ without basic amenities/utilities/services, sanitation or water tightness.

A team of 4th year Civil Engineering students at Queen's University Belfast have partnered with Ten Foundations to design and build a community housing project that aims to provide improved accommodation for families, with facilities such as running water, a toilet, shower, kitchen, living area, and bedrooms.

A design brief was developed for a one-hectare site purchased by the charity, supported by founder Ian Campbell and women from the livelihood programme; to include water/sewage utility systems, electricity and roads; complete with a community centre and 40-50 homes. The design vision was for a modular pre-fabricated flat pack home (‘Ikea-style’) that would enable cost-effective mass production, reducing construction expenses and manufacturing/construction time. In Semester 1 students have completed all core design elements, with Semester 2 focusing on construction methods and assembly, culminating with a prototype home to be built. Ten Foundations have welcomed the students to go to the Philippines to work alongside local families and build four homes planned in phase 1 during a 2-week educational & philanthropy visit scheduled for the start of June. All students working on this project are fully committed to this end goal and fulfilling their fundamental role as engineers in designing and delivering solutions that support humanity.

£15,000 will be required to purchase a plot of land in the Balayan region of the Philippines.

£10,000 will be required to begin building houses and installing essential services such as water and electric.

Join us, as we strive to achieve the goal of bettering the lives of the Filipino community in the Balayan region.