History
St. Catherine Family Helper Project, Inc. started as an outreach program of St. Paul University of Dumaguete City in 1977, supported by the Christian Children’s Fund, Inc. (CCF). It catered to the poor families of Dumaguete City by providing financial assistance for formal education, nutrition, housing, and livelihood.
When the funding support from CCF ended in 1989, St. Catherine FHPI incorporated with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and became independent from the university. It continued to work for the underprivileged and expanded its reach to other localities of Negros Oriental and Siquijor, serving agrarian reform farmers and marginal fisherfolk. It is also in this same year that St. Catherine FHPI became a proud member of the Philippine Partnership for the Development of Human Resources in Rural Areas (PhilDHRRA).
In 1992, when RA-7160, otherwise known as the Local Government Code of 1991, was implemented, St. Catherine FHPI took the lead in the formation of the Negros Oriental Network of NGOs and POs (NEGORNET) and served as its secretariat during its nurturing years. A provincial coalition of NGOs in Negros Oriental whose aim is to strengthen people’s participation in local governance.
Since then, St. Catherine FHPI continued to serve the underprivileged rural communities through its programs.
Vision
A competent, dynamic, and responsive community development organization committed to the formation of strong and viable people’s organizations and communities enjoying economic equality, participatory democracy, cultural autonomy, national sovereignty, and spiritual maturity.
Mission
To organize and facilitate the formation of strong, viable, and productive people’s organizations so they may be able to efficiently manage their resources and alleviate their living conditions through a collective process of education.