Mission and vision
What We Stand For
Rooted in critical thinking, driven by sustainability, and built to empower communities from the ground up.
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vision
A Philippines where education grows from the ground up, is supported from the top down, and is carried forward by thinkers, teachers, and communities working together.
OUR MISSION
Haraya Projects Foundation (Haraya) is a nonprofit think tank and implementation team dedicated to advancing critical thinking as a core competency in Philippine education. We work with local governments, educators, and community leaders to equip learners with the cognitive tools to question, reason, and solve problems. We aim to foster independent thought, community resilience, and lifelong learning in individuals. For us, critical thinking is not just a classroom skill; it is the foundation of active citizenship, innovation, and equitable development.
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Our programs vary widely depending on the needs of our community partners. They span literacy, teacher training, environmental education, and social enterprise. However, all are grounded in the same approach: to cultivate critical thinking and build sustainable, locally led systems of learning. As both a research hub and an on-the-ground partner, Haraya develops ideas that work and works to bring those ideas to life in the communities that need them most.
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what is critical thinking
In his seminal text on the subject, Peter Facione defines critical thinking as:
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“Purposeful, self-regulatory judgment which results in interpretation, analysis, evaluation, and inference of the considerations upon which that judgment is based.”
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In simpler terms, it’s the skill of making reasoned, reflective, and goal-directed judgments. Critical thinking involves being able to:
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Interpret information clearly
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Analyze arguments and evidence
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Evaluate claims and reasoning
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Infer conclusions logically
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Explain one’s reasoning clearly
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Reflect on one's thinking process (metacognition)​
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To Haraya Projects, critical thinking is the foundation of transformative education. It means equipping learners not just with information, but with the ability to question, evaluate, and construct knowledge for themselves.
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We challenge the Philippines to ask better questions, recognize assumptions, and develop the confidence to challenge what no longer serves. For Haraya, critical thinking is both an intellectual discipline and a tool for social empowerment. It is a habit of mind that enables individuals to imagine alternatives, solve problems creatively, and sustain their own learning and development.
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That’s why every Haraya Projects program centers on cultivating this capacity. We believe that to build a stronger nation, we must first build better thinkers.
Bound by a love for the critical spirit:
“a probing inquisitiveness, a keenness of mind, a zealous dedication to reason, and a hunger or eagerness for reliable information.” - Peter Facione
our commitment to sustainability
At Haraya Projects, we are committed to creating sustainable systems of change. Sustainability for us is embedded in how we build, teach, and collaborate. We believe that true sustainability means two things. First, designing systems that outlast us, led by the communities they serve. Second, designing systems that innovate and iterate upon themselves, growing better and stronger with time.
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This means investing in people, not just programs. It means creating feedback loops where educators, entrepreneurs, and conservationists are empowered to teach and train others. It means building structures that adapt, grow, and regenerate rather than rely on external support to survive.
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No matter what our project is, our commitment remains the same: to build programs that communities can claim, sustain, and evolve on their own terms. For us, sustainability is the ability to hand over the reins and know the work will not just continue, but flourish.