This project will help: 15 youth
Estimated Completion date: March 2028
Country: El Salvador
Executive summary
Like youth around the world, many of the young men and women served by Compassion’s frontline church partners in El Salvador dream of continuing their education in college or university. Sadly, for students living in poverty, higher education is often unattainable. In El Salvador, although the education budget increased by 5 per cent from 2021 to 2022, the number of students enrolled in post-secondary school has decreased by 100,000. According to reports from the Ministry of Education in El Salvador, only 18 out of every 100 young adults can enroll in higher education.
While many students have a strong desire to continue their education, the average student will only complete their education up to the seventh grade and only 40 per cent of students get to high school. The students who do complete high school are often faced with another barrier—the public post-secondary system has limited openings for students. In 2018, 25,808 students applied to public university but only 8,432 were accepted. Alternatives to the public system—private universities and colleges—are expensive. Sadly, many of the students Compassion’s church partners serve simply cannot afford the high cost of tuition and once rejected by public institutions, give up entirely on pursuing a university degree.
Higher education generates economic growth and provides young people with the professional skills and knowledge needed to perform efficiently in the current labour market. Compassion’s church partners know that improving the education of future generations is crucial so that they can acquire the necessary knowledge to meet labour demands. Without access to higher education, high-achieving young people living in poverty may never be able to pursue their dreams and will have little hope of breaking generational cycles of poverty.
With your generous support, five of Compassion’s frontline church partners in the San Miguel and Morazán departments of El Salvador will send a total of 15 young men and women to university, where they will pursue a degree of their choice. This intervention will cover the cost of tuition for the full four years of their degree programs, ensuring students can focus on their schoolwork and pursue their dreams without worrying about the financial burden of paying for their education.
Background
Five of Compassion’s frontline church partners are in the departments of San Miguel and Morazán, in the eastern region of El Salvador. These communities experience extreme levels of poverty, limiting the opportunities and resources available to young people. Most caregivers living in San Miguel and Morazán have limited financial means and often struggle to meet the basic needs of their families. Despite their hard work and dedication, caregivers living in this region face significant financial challenges that make it difficult to support their children’s education beyond primary school. While Compassion’s frontline church partners have offered skills training opportunities and income-generation workshops to registered youth to help them earn income and save money to attend college and university, many still need additional support to pay their tuition.
Without access to post-secondary school, many of the students who graduate from Compassion’s child and youth development program end up working low-paying jobs or unemployed. To address this, Compassion’s church partners in El Salvador have been working to provide students with scholarship opportunities through Compassion’s interventions. Over the last few years, high-achieving students in El Salvador have had the opportunity to attend college or university with the support of Compassion and frontline church staff. Many of these students have become professionals in their fields, found fulfilling jobs and improved their quality of life.
The need
Youth living in the departments of San Miguel and Morazán in El Salvador often face a multitude of barriers to pursuing higher education. Most students never graduate high school, and those who do are often rejected from the highly competitive public post-secondary system. The dedicated, hard-working students served by Compassion’s frontline church partners want to pursue their dreams and attend university—but they need help.
With your generous support, 15 young men and women from five Compassion centres in the eastern region of El Salvador will attend university, pursuing a degree in a subject of their choice. Your gift will provide 15 high-achieving young people will the skills and knowledge needed to pursue a professional career—something that many students in El Salvador dream of but few get the opportunity to achieve. Your gift will cover the cost of tuition, other education fees, educational materials and travel and meals so students can focus on their studies. While in university, students will also learn crucial life skills such as time management, self-motivation and critical thinking. With your support, these students will be able to break through barriers, realize their God-given potential and create a brighter future for themselves and their communities.
What your gift will do
Your gift will cover the cost of university education for 15 youth from five Compassion centres in San Miguel and Morazán in El Salvador, allowing them to attend a four-year degree program of their choice:
- Student orientation
- Admission fees
- Course enrollment fees
- Exam fees
- Laboratory fees
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Educational materials:
- Books
- Pamphlets
- Tools and equipment
- Graduation
- Meals
- Transportation
Logistics
- Local contribution: US$16,000
- Handling of funds: Compassion El Salvador will ensure this project stays within budget.
- Monitoring and follow-up: Centre directors and tutors, with the parents’ support, will monitor each student’s progress and provide support where needed. Centre staff will meet with students regularly and evaluate their academic reports during and after implementation.