THE FOUNDER OF A BRITISH CHARITY IN the Philippines who called attention to and did something about the plight of poor children and their families living in Manila?s dumps and cemeteries has been made a Member of the British Empire (MBE) by Queen Elizabeth II on the occasion of the Queen?s official birthday on June 14.

The British Embassy in Manila said the awardee, Jane Walker, founded the Philippine Community Fund (PCF) in 1996 after a visit to the Philippines made her aware of the families struggling to survive in squatter colonies in public cemeteries and garbage dumps.

It said the MBE was based on merit for achievement and exceptional service, highlighting the sort of work that is deemed ?over and above? what would be expected of one?s peer group in terms of achievement.

The PCF began by targeting the youngest ones in the cemeteries and building a daycare center to look after their health and social needs. In the past decade, the PCF has expanded from Manila to Baguio and Bacolod cities.

The PCF introduced a holistic program that combined nutrition, education and livelihood for parents, with a strong human rights and social protection orientation.

Walker was surprised to receive the award, saying her efforts would not have succeeded without the commitment of her colleagues and the support of other people from the local governments, the donor community and the British Embassy in Manila.

?I feel incredibly proud to receive the award but I also feel somewhat undeserving. The accomplishments of the work that I began have not been attributable to all my own efforts,? Walker said in a statement released by the embassy.

British Ambassador Peter Beckingham and his wife, Jill, said they considered themselves among the strongest advocates of the PCF?s work, raising the profile and generating support for the organization within the United Kingdom?s Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the wider diplomatic community.

?Jane?s work has touched many lives, not just of the children and families she is helping, but also of the volunteers and friends of PCF who are witnesses to her dedication and compassion. The honor is certainly well deserved,? Beckingham said.

The PCF?s work is made possible by a UK-based child sponsorship program which in 2007 had over 500 families from the UK participating.

Later this year, the PCF will open the world?s first school made out of recycled container shipping vans at Smokey Mountain in Tondo, Manila, a state of the art facility made possible by volunteer architects and engineers from the expatriate community in the Philippines.