What children are eligible to participate in the sponsorship program? How long does sponsorship last?
The children come from impoverished families that need help to keep their children in school. We select children most in need, based on an extensive assessment process. At least one of the parents must participate in ongoing family-strengthening sessions, and the child must continue to attend school and fulfill academic requirements. Children generally are eligible for sponsorship until they graduate from high school, with some exceptions. Since the educational system in the Philippines does not include a middle school, children typically complete high school by age 16. Some of our children, through no fault of their own, have not attended school regularly in the past and will not graduate on schedule. Our goal is to continue sponsorship for these children until they finish high school. Some of the children in need of sponsorship are older teens who will complete high school within a year or two. Sometimes we may have a teen who needs help for a a year or two on a vocational-training c
