families struggle
ONLY HALF OF 6 GRADERS ADVANCE TO HIGH SCHOOL
In our partner communities, every parent dreams to be able to send their kids to school. Despite this strong desire, only 50% of rural kids advance to high school and only a fraction have a chance to go on to college.
Why? Because in many places in the developing world like in the Philippines, farmers barely make enough to feed their families. Most make $1,000-$1,500 a year for a family of 5-7.
For tuition-free public high schools, school fees, uniforms, school supplies cost $50 or more. Families would be able to afford this except for one big thing: this investment is required at the beginning of school, which coincides with the first planting season of the year when families are already borrowing money to put food on the table and plant rice. As such, kids end up working, and have a hard time getting back on the path to finishing school.
College is like a holy grail. Colleges are located in towns and cities where the cost of food and transportation for a day is more than what a parent/farmer makes in the village in a day. Moreover, tuition, books, uniform, lodging, and other necessities amount to half or more of a family's entire yearly income.
defying all odds
ARK Scholars are curious, caring, hopeful, hardworking, and tenacious. They ask questions. They dare to dream. They never ever give up, no matter what challenges come their way. They never miss school unless they are very sick. They top the class, win awards and represent their schools.
They, like other kids in the rural areas, share one dream - to be able to go further, graduate from college, and lead their families out of struggle.
you co-invest
alongside parents
WHO MOVE MOUNTAINS TO FUND 70% OF THE COST
In the ARK Scholars Fund, you co-invest alongside parents in partner communities to advance kids to high school and college. Your investment matters because it comes through at the time when funding is required, and therefore enables kids to start school. Once kids are in school, parents and the entire family pull together to make it work and enable their kids to finish school.
As an investor, you fund tuition, school supplies, uniforms and tutoring. Parents fund food, transportation, other school fees and, for those in college, lodging.
ARK
tuition
school supplies
uniform
tutoring
PARENTS
food
transportation
lodging
other fees
TOTAL CASH INVESTMENT
HIGH SCHOOL
6 YEARS
$50/kid/year
21%
$185*
79%
+
= $235
COLLEGE
4 YEARS
$500/kid/year
30%
$1,190*
70%
+
= $1,690
* Daily lunch and round trip transport is estimated at P40/day. There are 200 school days. Shoes and other fees estimated at P1,250.
** For college in the city, food allowance is estimated at P125/day, daily roundtrip transportation is estimated at P50/day with 2 roundtrip home visits at P200/month, lodging at P750/month, other fees and expenses at P2,500.
FX $1 : P50
all commit to make it happen
AND GIVE SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY
To access the scholarships, stakeholders in the partner school - school head, PTA president, and village council must support it. A teacher and parent must volunteer, co-lead and manage the program for the school. The student and parent must give back and actively volunteer for the ARK Lunch and other school activities. The parents and teachers' community service alone provides ARK up to 10x return on our investment.
STUDENT
goes to school
95% attendance
excels
85% or above grade point average
gives back to the community
PARENTS
keep kids in school
fund their commitment
give back to the community*
and the scholars program
(10 days for the year)
TEACHERS
track performance
mentor scholars
manage and coordinate
with ARK**
* Parents gift produce to the ARK Lunch or volunteer at least 10 days in a year for a minimum contributed value of P2,000 or $50 per year.
** Teachers co-lead and manage the program twice a month for a contributed value of P3,000 per month for 10 months or P30,000 or $430 per year.
FX $1 : P50
we become family
ROOTING FOR EVERY SCHOLAR TO LEAD & SUCCEED
mentorship and support circle
personal development workshops
leadership and internship opportunities awards and bonuses for achievements
fun gatherings
meet one of our badass scholars
ALMIRA
GRADUATING IN 2019
MAJORING IN EDUCATION
FOCUS PHYSICS AND MATH
Average grade | 93
Lakambini Award 2016
Secretary, Society of Future Mentors
Innovation Project
Irrigation System
Almira is positive, responsible, independent and always at the ready to lead an initiative. ARK has selected her to orient visiting team members and partners in Capiz. She received the ARK Leadership Award in the 2016-2017 school year.
I want to give back or share to other people what I have received. From ARK, I have been given the chance to “socialize with other people, help children [through] tutorials and assisting the feeding programs.
secure a different future
As of 2017, ARK has funded 155 high school and 13 college scholarships across 7 communities in the Philippines.
In March 2018, 2 scholars will be first to graduate college.
For the 2018-2019 school year, we have slots for 56 high school and 8 college scholars. We will also pilot one graduate school scholarship for teachers who lead the ARK Lunch or Scholars programs.