Paluwagan, esusu, and the Care Fund

In the Philippines it's called paluwagan. In Nigeria, esusu. Across our cultures, families and neighbours have always pooled money so that when one person needs it, it's there.

At the end of life, though, money usually moves the other way: reactionary cash remittances, sent in a hurry when an emergency hits. Approximately 85 million people across just twelve countries are pushed into poverty by individual healthcare spending.

One fund, five purposes

The Care Fund formalises what families already do. Each care team has one fund, split into five purpose-based pools:

• Urgent — active medical needs: medicines, equipment, treatment.
• Quality of life — dignity costs, like home modifications and in-home care.
• Legacy and rites — burial rites, mourning, and ceremony.
• Repatriation — bringing a loved one home, and emergency travel.
• Mutual aid — whole-family resilience, for children and a surviving spouse.

Decided together, released carefully

Money leaves the fund only after the family's agreed approvals — and no one approves their own request. A Custodian releases approved withdrawals, and every contribution, approval, and release lands on an audit trail the whole team can see.

We never hold your money

The Care Fund is a social ledger. It tracks what your family pools and releases; the money itself stays in your family's own accounts. We charge no fee on any contribution or release.

Because a family that plans its future together funds its future care together.