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Friends of Saint Mary MacKillop Inc.
fsmm Inc.
About Us
About
"Never see a need without doing something about it."
The Friends of Saint Mary MacKillop, Inc. is a Philippine non-profit organization committed to Indigenous children and youth in remote, hard-to-reach and underserved communities—places too often overlooked and left behind. Inspired by Saint Mary MacKillop’s legacy of compassionate service, we bring education closer to learners, open pathways to higher education and provide nourishment so children can learn with dignity and hope. We believe every child deserves the opportunity to learn, thrive and shape a better future—regardless of their religion, culture, orientation and where they come from.
Vision
Our vision is to ensure that every marginalized and indigenous learner in remote areas has access to quality education and to bridge the gap between learners and schools, empowering the vulnerable for a brighter, more equitable future.
Mission
Making education accessible for indigenous and economically challenged learners in remote areas of the Philippines.
our story
Every meaningful journey begins with something small. For the Friends of Saint Mary MacKillop, Inc., it began with a single PET bottle.
In 2019, while serving as an Assistant Priest at St. Patrick’s Parish in Wangaratta, Victoria, Australia, Fr. Dean Bongat began buying bottled water because of an old, faulty pipe in his room. Before long, empty bottles began to accumulate.
During a conversation about the late Bishop Joseph “Joe” Grech, Fr. Dean was reminded of a simple thought: “God did not create rubbish.”
He began to see those bottles differently. What if they could become something that changes a child’s life? So, on his days off, Fr. Dean started collecting PET bottles, cans and glass from recycling bins and turning their value into support for children in need.
What began with a handful of discarded bottles became the seed of a mission—to bring education closer to Indigenous and vulnerable children in remote communities in the Philippines.
From one PET bottle came a simple belief: Small acts can create life-changing opportunities.
