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Scholarship program stories |
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CFCA scholarship program supports future leaders Education is one of the best hopes for overcoming the obstacles of poverty, and for creating lasting change in poor communities. The CFCA scholarship program provides educational assistance to students pursuing higher education or learning a trade. Projects award scholarships based on economic need, academic achievement, demonstrated leadership and commitment to community service. Scholars contribute to their communities while they are in the program by performing a service project. After completing their education, many CFCA scholars remain in their communities to help others lift themselves out of poverty. Scholarships are funded by contributions to the CFCA Scholarship Program. CFCA sends 100 percent of scholarship contributions to CFCA projects overseas for scholarships. To donate to CFCA’s Scholarship Program, click here. The following stories illustrate the potential of CFCA scholars and the hope they bring to their communities. CFCA inspires scholar to spread her wings
Every Saturday, CFCA scholar Shirley braves putrid odors, rotted food, broken glass and dirt to teach children at a garbage dump outside Zamboanga in the southern Philippines. Shirley is studying to be a teacher. Her work with the children of the dump is preparing her for her future career besides fulfilling the service requirement of her scholarship. But Shirley knows that if it weren’t for the instruction from CFCA scholars, these children would not learn to read, write, add and subtract. Their families live in the dump, scraping out a living by selling the materials they scavenge. When Shirley finishes her studies next year, she hopes to continue helping at the dump school. “I would give up my spare time to teach them,” she said. “I would contact other scholars, friends and co-workers to form a small group, to help hand-in-hand to offer love to these children. I would collect some reading materials to build them a comfortable classroom.” Shirley is no stranger to poverty. She is the fourth of eight children. Her mother works at home to take care of her family’s needs, and her father works in construction but supplements his income by selling fruits and vegetables from the family's backyard. “I feel so blessed and thankful that I became part of the CFCA family,” said Shirley. “CFCA is one of the reasons I am brave enough to face the challenges and hardships in my life. It serves as my inspiration to move forward and spread my wings. Learn more about the scholarship program Learn more about our projects in the Philippines Hard-working parents set example for Alfredo
Alfredo's strong work ethic and spirit of service so impressed the CFCA staff at Hermano Pedro in Guatemala that he qualified for a scholarship. The 29-year-old law student credits his work ethic to his parents. “Both of my parents are fighters,” said Alfredo. “They endured many difficulties, especially economic ones, but always maintained hope and worked hard to afford our education fees for primary school. They encouraged us to be responsible with our homework and to pass all our subjects.” Alfredo’s father works hard as a farmer but does not earn enough to pay for Alfredo and his three brothers to study. To help out, Alfredo and his wife, Victoria, have shared their resources to help cover household expenses and to pay for Alfredo’s brothers’ education. Alfredo’s mother sold “chuchitos,” a Guatemalan street food similar to tamales, most of her life but had to quit 11 years ago when Alfredo’s sister was diagnosed with epilepsy. Providing medical care for his sister has been one of the biggest challenges for Alfredo’s family. “I have learned to be strong during adversity from my mother, to be grateful to God even during painful times and not to surrender to problems because God always offers us a way out,” said Alfredo. The CFCA scholarship helps Alfredo pay for the tuition, books and transportation associated with his studies. To fulfill his community service, he helps out at the CFCA project office. Alfredo will finish school next year and plans to be a law professor for human rights and social development. “My goal in being a lawyer is not to get rich,” said Alfredo. “I am aware that I was born among the poor and I must work for them, to work responsibly and to gain results that benefit Guatemala, especially the communities of my town. Truly, I am so grateful to CFCA for motivating me to reflect on my life, to see it differently, that being poor is not an obstacle to success.” Learn more about the scholarship program Learn more about our projects in Guatemala CFCA scholars tutor children in Guatemala
At CFCA’s Atitlan project in Guatemala, CFCA scholars are tutoring students who need help with their schoolwork as part of the scholarship program’s service requirement. Rafael Consigua Leja, program and education supervisor for CFCA-Atitlan, obtains performance reports from teachers and determines which students need help. “We divide the students by grade and the area of help they need and then assign them to a scholarship student,” said Rafael. The scholars work with elementary and middle-school students one or two days a week for two-hour sessions in core classes. Currently, about 60 scholars assist 130 children. Jorge is a CFCA scholar participating in the tutoring program. Jorge is thankful for his CFCA scholarship. “My father is a day laborer and I have more siblings who study,” said Jorge. “What my father earns is not enough to cover my expenses in school.” Jorge works with a small group of students and covers a different topic each session, depending on the grade and course he is teaching. His goal is to help the students advance in their learning and to help them practice what they learn. “I feel very satisfied to teach children what I have learned and to give them the best education, which they will need when they move to higher grades,” he said. Learn more about the scholarship program Learn more about our projects in Guatemala
Former CFCA scholars teach welding workshop in Kenya
In Timau, Kenya, Patrick and Boniface, two former CFCA scholars, found themselves with an education, but no job and no money to start a business. So they worked for the project, helping to construct buildings on the project grounds. “They were so good at what they were doing, picking up skills from the other workers, that we decided we needed a welding/fabrication workshop,” said Sister Joanne Gangloff, project coordinator in Timau. “They and others literally taught themselves masonry, plumbing and basic construction. They built our present main office in early 2000.” Patrick and Boniface teach six apprentices, five sponsored and one with a CFCA scholarship. The boys complete two two-year training periods, the first for the Elementary Trade Certificate and the second for the Advanced Trade Certificate. During training, the boys make objects that are needed around the project and learn English so they can take the trade exam. “They make all the window frames, doors, roofs, gates, furniture and playground equipment needed for any current project,” said Sister Joanne. Sister Joanne hopes that the workshop will produce simple marketable items that can be purchased by the project, such as birthday gifts for sponsored members, creating an internal market. News of the workshop and its quality work has spread throughout the area, said Sister Joanne. Earnings from the workshop have helped Patrick support his family and to pay for his diabetes medication. His parents aren’t well and one sister has AIDS. Three younger brothers earn little as day laborers. Three other younger siblings are sponsored through CFCA and attend school. “I am helping my family now,” said Patrick. “Being the first-born boy, I advise all the younger ones how to improve their lives and tell them the importance of education. I feel so happy because now, I’m a teacher. I want other boys to experience what I experienced.”
Learn more about the scholarship program Learn more about our projects in Kenya |
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