Singaporean Entrepreneurs

Singapore Entrepreneurs (TLE) spoke to Harvey Keh, 29, social entrepreneur, founder of Pathways to Higher Education and AHON Foundation. He is also the project director of the Asia Society’s Philippines 21 Young Leaders Program and teaches part-time at the Ateneo de Manila University.

Harvey Keh started Pathways in 2002 and left it at 2006, content to let others run with his ideas although he still sits on its board. He is controversial for his outspokenness and became famous in the blogosphere for his open letter to the Filipino regarding the elections in 2007 which quickly went viral and garnered lots of reactions.

(1) Was there a defining moment in your life that made you want to start Pathways to Higher Education or has it always been a personal philosophy to help others?

KEH: There are two major reasons why I started Pathways – first was the influence of my dad. He is a businessman but he always told us that you have to help the poor, those who don’t have, those who have less than what you have.

Second, in high school, every Saturday, I would walk maybe around one kilometer from Xavier School to this street called Barasoain street in San Juan. It’s a squatter’s community. We’d pick up the kids and bring them to Xavier, and we taught them catechism. That was when I first saw how poor some children were in terms of education. I had students who were in high school but did not know basic addition. There was a second year high school student. I asked him to read a story book about Jesus Christ to Grade I kids, but he didn’t know how! That’s when I realized that not everyone knows how to read, that life is vastly different for others. And that went on when I was in college, I joined the Student Catholic Action, and then eventually after college, I was in the Student Activities Office in Ateneo and I was teaching Theology.

All these made me realize that education is important. I’ve always lived by this motto “to whom much is given, much is expected.”

(2) So how do you find the money to give the students under your charge an education- not only at a higher institution, but at the premium universities in Manila?

KEH: We find sponsors to give us the day-to-day expenses of the students. The typical Pathways participant is smart but poor. So he usually gets a scholarship but the main problem is not the tuition and fees but the the day-to-day expenses: transportation, project materials, lunch, books, etc.

When you hear of Rochelle who walks six kilometers everyday to the school and yet still graduates salutatorian of her class, you would want to support this kid.

(3)What about AHON setting up libraries. You said there are “55,000 public schools all over the Philippines and less than 15 percent of those have adequate and really functional libraries. It’s really a sad reality.”- Won’t it be better to equip them with the internet instead where they have access to the world’s digital libraries? Because it seems really costly to set up a physical library (space, books, library admin & maintenance, upgrading of outdated books, etc.).

KEH: Yes, ideally that would be the best case scenario wherein all students would have access to the internet and the numerous resources that it has however, it will prove too costly to set up computers and provide internet access to all public schools as well. At the same time, I still believe that one has to first learn how to read using books before one gets to use the computer.

(4) What’s the worse you’ve gotten into with your frank statements about what is right and wrong in a culturally sensitive society like the Philippines?

KEH: This is a tough question. I think the worse I’ve gotten into is that I’ve received some hate emails from people who do not necessarily agree with the things I write about or speak about. I don’t really get affected by that since I believe in the things that I write about or say. I’ve also been turned down by institutions that I have sought support from since they say that my political inclinations and beliefs may affect their relationship with government. I’m a person who will stand by my principles and values regardless of the consequences that may be caused by these stands.

(5)You have very strong political views and mentioned, “If we elect a good president in 2010, and elect another good president in 2016, we’ll have a great country.” Do you really think the President matters that much? If yes, what do you think a good president should be?

KEH: Yes, as we can see now, the President is powerful because at present we have very weak democratic institutions. A Good President is someone who will seek the welfare of the many above the interests of a few. A Good President must not only be effective in terms of delivering basic services such as food security, shelter, quality healthcare and education to the poor but must be able to lead ethically and honestly. We need a President who can make every Filipino proud of the Philippines and will make each of us realize that there is so much hope in our country if only we learn to work together for the common good.

To contact AHON Foundation:
683-0262 loc 106 or 109 /
ahonfoundation@gmail.com /
3/F Topy’s Place, Industria cor.
Economia Sts. Bagumbayan, Q.C.