“How does a child know about sex work?” When this question confronted Lars Jorgensen and Monica D Ray while visiting the Philippines, they realised action needed to be taken. After ending up in the Red Light District, they could not ignore the children they saw: “unfortunately, it seemed that they played a very active role in that scene”. Since 1990, they have worked to create a home for the vulnerable, while also putting children's rights on the agenda for teachers and authorities across the Philippines. The children at Stairway attend school in the morning, with creative activities in the afternoons, and the impact is visible; “Stairway is the reason that I have dreams in life”.