Big strides start with small steps. Opportunities enter when doors are held open. And hope blossoms when people care enough to plant the right seeds.
Fifty for Fifty is a grassroot initiative to alleviate poverty by supporting poor but deserving children in their pursuit of high school education. It is a largely personal commitment – a 50th birthday idea to mark a personal milestone and make it more meaningful by striving to make a positive change in the lives of those needing most help, fifty at a time.
The idea is still being refined – but one which has received encouragement and support from a close circle of friends, colleagues and relatives, and then taken off to a promising start in September 2006.
Where do we help?
The Fifty4Fifty project is concentrated in the Philippines, where out of every 100 schoolchildren enrolled every year, 66 will complete elementary education, 42 will finish high school but only 14 will earn a college degree. This is according to a report published by the Center for Asia-Pacific Studies.
At the same time a report from UNICEF points out that while public elementary and high school education is free in the Philippines, school-related expenses like transportation fare, snacks, lunch, school supplies and other learning materials are beyond the financial capabilities of poor parents. This results in a high drop out rate among students in public elementary and high schools, especially those located in the poorest villages.
This is most unfortunate since for many Filipinos a high school education can oftentimes spell the difference between a menial worker and a store clerk. For Third World countries, in general, that basic difference can mean a lot, financially and socially, much like like comparing night to day.
So who do we help, really?
Fifty4Fifty’s criteria for support is based on need. This is no scholarship fund. Rather we give support to those who need help the most. For Fifty4Fifty these are children identified and screened by the local church through the parish priest, social worker or school principal.
Most of the children are either starting high school or about to, have several siblings and who families are living in the poverty threshold, meaning income of less than 36 pesos a day for a family of five. (Figure according to the National Statistics Coordinating Board report in 2006.) That’s about US 60 cents (or 70 euro cents) a day, less that what most people would pay for a cup of coffee in The US and Europe.
Those interested in cold facts and statistics, can read the Asian Development Bank research paper in 2005 which looks in depth at factors surrounding poverty in the Philippines. The report is available free for download from the ADB’s web site.
How do we help?
Each of the fifty children receive an allowance of 10 euros a month to cover basic school needs like transportation, snacks, school supplies, and ither learning materials. The money is sent through the local parish priest or school principal who distributes them to the children. There is hardly any overhead and the full amount goes to the child beneficiary.
They are part of a bigger group of children being supported by the Educational Assistance Project of the Philiipine Catholic Community in Vienna (PGG-Wien) under Fr. Ron Sandoval. Fifty4Fifty uses PGG-Wien’s existing network of parish churches and lay volunteers to deliver the finacnial support to the children and keep track of their progress.
All we ask in return for this support is that the children actually attend school and be committed to finish their education. The local church counterpart also checks to make sure that the money actually goes to the child’s education and not spent on other family expenses.
So why Fifty4Fifty?
There must be several efforts underway – both big and small – to reverse this sad trend in Philippine education. But the persistence of the problem means there is room for one more. Fifty4Fifty’s contribution is just a drop in the bucket, but it also means needed support for fifty kids in their effort to rise from poverty and hope for a better future by finishing high school. The rest will be really up to them. What we hope to achieve is that through this endeavor we’ve helped given them a brighter day.
And, being a firm believer in the ripple effect, chances are by initially helping 50, fifty more may be also be touched or directly influenced, inspired and encouraged to do good and aspire for the better. As a popular saying goes, to move a mountain one has to start with the first stone.
So let’s all help move our first fifty stones, and maybe then the mountain wouldn’t look so formidable after all.