With more than 7,000 islands, the Philippines faces a huge challenge teaching children in remote towns. One charity is bridging that gap by literally crossing rivers and oceans to either take kids to school or bring the school to them.

It was a welcome fit for a hero or heroes, in fact, as public school teachers and the Yellow Boat of Hope Foundation, co-founded by Anton Lim, have changed the lives of the people of the Sitio Lipata island forever.

High school was an even farther expedition for Jennifer Canela so she decided to just drop out of school. Here in Sitio Lipata and neighboring islands, that isn't uncommon.

A teacher visits children in Sitio Lipata, a little village in the Philippine islands. /Screenshot  

She said when she was a little girl, whenever the water's high, they had to do sidesteps and hold on to rocks on the cliff, and then cross a river, just to make it to school.

A teacher told us the reason why many drop out of school here is because of the distance to the nearest school. The travel for students is too difficult.

The teachers needed help as well. They hired boats to get to Sitio Lipata using their own money. It wasn't sustainable.

"We spent thousands of pesos just to reach children on remote islands. But because it’s our own money or sometimes out of the generosity of boatmen, we couldn't get to as many children as we would have wanted," said Windel Alvarez.

Teachers visit children in Sitio Lipata, a little village in the Philippine islands. /Screenshot

Anton Lim, whose foundation had by then been providing boats for school kids in more than 100 remote villages, recalls a persistent Windel Alvarez asking for help. Yellow Boat responded by providing three boats.

"The usual Yellow Boat story is the boat bringing kids from point A to point B where the school is. But here, it’s the reverse. The teacher will bring education to where the learners are because of the distance," he said.

Now dozens of teachers volunteer to teach not just children, but adults, on the island.

So when Yellow Boat started its alternative learning program on this island, they started out with kids as their students. But of course it's the mothers who would take the kids and they would sit and watch. And now they have their own setup here; they have their own classroom, and they're getting their own education.

Adults also benefit from the teaching program. /Screenshot

With the demand for an education increasing on the island, plans for a concrete school building is now in the works. The lack of facilities, however, was never an obstacle. A few of Sitio Lipata's students, like Jennifer, have graduated from high school.

Jennifer said she wanted to further study, take up a vocational course and get a good job.

She said finishing her studies, despite her age, was also her way of giving the island’s children hope that anyone, given the opportunity, can make it in life.