“Being a recipient of the HOPE scholarship is really a tremendous help for our family,” says Razel, a 23-year-old college student in Bicol, Philippines. Razel and his five siblings were orphaned four years ago. Today, he lives with two of his siblings in a government-subsidized house that lacks electricity and water. They use candles for light and fetch water daily at a nearby source.
Without their parents, Razel and his siblings try to make ends meet by offering tutoring lessons or helping with local events. “The financial assistance from Children International went a long way, helping me not just in my studies but also for our daily sustenance,” he says.
Razel is in his final year of elementary education studies at the local community college. “Without access to a HOPE scholarship, it would have been very hard for me to continue [my education]. Stopping school was a very big possibility, especially when my father died — not only for me but for my siblings as well,” he shares.
He is incredibly grateful to Children International supporters like you for helping fund his future. “It’s a lifeline to our dreams. My simple dream is to be a professional educator. I dream that someday I could bring my family to a state where we have enough of what we need. To have a decent life. I wish for us to get out of poverty.”
