A good education is the springboard for a changed society and at Mercy in Action, we believe it is one of the greatest gifts we can give a child. However, for the poor, it is a luxury beyond their means. This is why in 1999 we enrolled the first child onto our schooling programme.
Since then, hundreds of children have received and excelled at their education. Many students have graduated University and started worthwhile, rewarding careers. This is something the families of these children could never have dreamed of, without Mercy in Action's support. For many of these students, they are the first members of their family to attend University - this is how we break the cycle of poverty.
We are currently supporting over 400 children to attend school. The selection process is not based on academic ability but is specifically for children from marginalised communities facing extreme poverty, who are most at risk of not completing their education. They are known to us through our community work, or are referred by a teacher, social worker or support worker. Children on our schooling programme receive all the essential items needed for their studies - uniforms, textbooks, and all art and school supplies. In addition to this, they receive a hot meal every day to aid their concentration and development (rice is sometimes given to the family as an alternative, where logistics do not allow a daily meal to be served).
More than this, students have support and oversight from our dedicated team of teachers and social workers. Many of the children on the schooling programme are the most at-risk in their society. Growing up in poverty stricken, marginalised communities, they are regularly at risk from homelessness, family breakdowns, gangs and drugs. There may also be pressure from family members to quit school in order to work and provide financially for the family.
Our team are there to step in and help whenever needed, to ensure students not only remain in school, but thrive and reach their potential. We aim to support the family as a whole with parenting and marriage courses, training, financial assistance, regular groceries and more, to make schooling appealing and beneficial to the whole family.
This holistic approach enables us to see the whole community transformed by the empowering nature of education.
The Mercy in Action Schooling Programme wouldn’t be possible without child sponsorship. Sponsorship is so important in the community we work in, and absolutely integral to the work of Mercy in Action. It makes a huge difference, not just to the child, but to their whole family.
We are always in need of more sponsors to enable us to enrol even more children into education. For £18 a month, just 60p a day, you can transform the life of a child in the Philippines through education, healthy food and the knowledge that someone is invested in them and wants them to succeed.
For more information, and to sponsor a child, visit our Child Sponsorship page.
