Sheena Joy shares her blessings.

For most of the young stars of today, getting into acting or showbiz is a dream-come-true. For 22-year-old Sheena Joy, becoming an actress was a stepping stone to helping people especially the needy children in the Philippines.

Sheena Joy can be remembered in the indie film entitled “Ay Ayeng,” produced by Aloha Pearl Film and which starred Heart Evangelista, John Arcilla and Maria Isabel Lopez among others. The movie was about a teacher fighting for the education of the Ifugaos. And the said film also inspired Sheena Joy to do charity work.

“I enjoyed acting. I had fun and I enjoyed going to different shows for guest appearances. I enjoyed mall shows. And I know that if I make a name for myself as an actress, it would be easier for me to get donations for needy people,” expressed Sheena who played a photo journalist in “Ay Ayeng.”

She also attributed her passion for helping people to her experience way back in 2003 when she joined in a search for Urdaneta City Princess in Urdaneta, Pangasinan. She was in a caravan when poor and needy children went to her and asked for money. This, according to her, shocked her.

In order to channel her charity work properly, she put up the Sheena Joy Foundation and one of its priorities is helping the people in the Philippines especially the children. And a few months ago, Sheena with the students of her alma mater in St. Francis High School in Hawaii, donated 560 stuffed animals and 200 more from donations outside her high school.

She wrote the principal of her alma mater, requesting for donations of toys and books. She was given the thumbs-up but the principal decided on one item – stuffed animals which were valuable to the students giving them.

“The reason I started this project was because I saw that there was so much potential here in the Philippines and there’s a lot of unfortunate or less fortunate people. Nakita ko yung hirap and this started last year when I was at the Philippine Orthopedic Center kasi I said I want to do a project here in the Philippines so we went to the Philippine Orthopedic Center, ay sobrang hirap ang nakita ko. It was the worst I went to in terms of facilities and everything. And so to give hope to these children in these hospitals, we gave out stuffed animals which stand for hope,” she explained.

For this to happen, she shipped 16 boxes full of stuffed animals and some boxes with books and educational toys. The beneficiary of the stuffed animals were the Philippine Orthopedic Center, National Children’s Hospital, Dr. Fe Del Mundo Medical Center, Quezon City General Hospital, Nancayasan Elementary School-Day Care Center, Don Vicente Memorial Elementary School and some developmentally challenged children in Urdaneta, Pangasinan.

For Sheena Joy, it was so fulfilling seeing the smiles of the sick and needy children as they received the stuffed toys.

So why is she so interested in charity work especially at a young age?

“I want to help the Philippines because nakikita ko ang potential dito sa Philippines. For me ang mga bata, they have so much potential. Pag mag-guide tayo ng mga bata, they are able to learn and educate themselves. They are able to bloom and to blossom into wonderful people. I want to teach these kids because education can take you a long way. If you have hope and determination within yourself kaya mo yan, you can bloom into a beautiful person,” she opined.

A Psychology graduate, Sheena Joy had been working with autistic children in Hawaii. Here, she has 12 scholars in Urdaneta, Pangasinan which is handled by a scholarship foundation she has put up in the country.

At the moment, Sheena Joy still doesn’t know what her next movie project would be. But for her, doing a movie in the Philippines is not the only reason for her to come and visit. What is vital is for her to continuously give hope and inspiration to children. And with the havoc that typhoon Ondoy has left the country, it wouldn’t be surprising if Sheena Joy would be seen back giving out relief goods and doing charity work for the typhoon victims!