Joanna Maniti is truly an inspiration to many. After having a “lightbulb” moment while delivering a speech in college (University of Southern California), she set her heart upon helping the poor and helpless orphaned children in the Philippines. Having been to the Philippines on a couple of missions trips with her church, she knew first hand the harsh and sometimes devastating conditions that homeless and helpless orphans face everyday. She knew she had to do something….and out of that Cherish Co was born.
Maniti writes, “When I did missionary work through my church in California, God showed me His heart for kids in the Philippines. I was 17 years old when I did VBS in Mindanao and felt a calling to start an orphanage and serve street children. I started Cherish Co, a nonprofit focused on building schools and orphanages, in 2020 during my senior year at USC. I wanted to leverage my business degree to help elevate the lives of orphans and street kids in the Philippines. When I see the kids, I see myself in them– but I also see Jesus in each of them.”
Joanna’s website is cherishco.org and you can also read more about her and Cherish Co at Upworthy, Good News Network, and Daily Trojan. We absolutely love her vision to raise up sons and daughters from orphans and raise up mothers and fathers for orphans!
A special thank you to Joanna Maniti for allowing us to shine a spotlight on the wonderful work she is doing on behalf of the precious orphans of the Philippines!
