I’m Jen - a Filipina living in London, still deeply connected to my home country, the Philippines.

On April 20, I’ll begin walking the 500-mile Camino de Santiago.

But this journey is not just for me.

Over the years, my work has centred around sustainable food, smallholder farmers, and rural livelihoods. I’ve seen farmers grow food with care, yet remain poor because they cannot access markets. At the same time, communities struggle to access food.

The connection between the two is fragile and increasingly under pressure.

Rising fuel costs, global tensions, and repeated natural disasters are making things worse. Farmers are telling us they can no longer afford to transport their produce. Crops go unsold. Livelihoods are lost. I’m hearing this directly from the communities we work with.

For the past few years, I’ve been quietly supporting and building this work, working alongside farmers, investing my own time and resources, and trying to create a more sustainable and resilient way for these systems to connect.

I didn’t plan for the Camino to be a fundraising journey. But I also couldn’t set off knowing that many communities back home are facing both hunger and loss of income. So this is the first time I’m reaching out to my friends and network in this way.

We’ve created a simple initiative called Feed 50:

One £50 basket of fresh organic produce feeds 50 people

We source directly from local smallholder farmers, organise the produce into baskets, and deliver them to a partner feeding programme in Cebu, where meals are prepared for children and communities.

In one simple act, farmers earn income, food reaches people who need it, and children/communities are nourished

As I walk each day carrying only what I need, eating what communities provide along the way, and taking one step at a time, I hope to turn each step into meals for others.

If this resonates with you, I would be grateful for your support. You can contribute towards a basket, sponsor one fully, or simply share this with your friends and network.

This is not a big solution. But it is a small, immediate response. And often, it is where change begins.

With gratitude,

Jen