Underprivileged Students Dream Big in the Philippines - p.2

Philippines

Out of six children, Melchor Celso is the only one to pursue a college education. His father is a handyman at a local village while his mother is involved in a socio-civic women’s group that provides education and livelihood programs for women. Armed with dreams of getting a good job someday but no idea how to afford college, it was Melchor’s friends from Every Nation who encouraged him to just apply and take the entrance exams. “My teacher was the one who invited me to attend Every Nation Youth and it was there that I met youth leaders who encouraged me to take exams,” Melchor recalls.

Soon after, he was interviewed by Doc Joey and was on his way to getting his college education. LIFE Scholarships covers his tuition fee, his school projects, books and weekly allowance at Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Pasig (University of Pasig City) where he is majoring in Education.

Doc Joey explains that LIFE Scholarships is not just about meeting financial needs. “As we ministered to students about God, purpose and destiny, we saw more of their poverty, their broken families and broken dreams. We saw that we needed to do more than just preach purpose and a great future, hence we started financially supporting students one at a time.”

Melchor attributes the change in his mindset from unsure and tentative about finishing school and getting a job, to one that now knows how to dream and set goals to making them happen. “LIFE Scholarship helps me in aspects outside of my college education.”

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