Scholarships
The Center’s Scholarship Program offers financial assistance to two distinct groups of students.
External Scholarships
The first group comprises young people (and some adults) who are enrolled in public schools at the grade school, high school and university levels. Studies show that there is a strong and direct relationship between education and poverty reduction, and some have calculated that young people from urban areas need at least 10 to 12 years of schooling to escape poverty. However, many students in Nicaragua leave school by 5th grade to earn money for their families; and only about 40% of grade school graduates go on to high school.
In order to break this cycle of poverty, the Center supports 130 students with a monthly stipend for their studies. These scholarships pay for school entrance fees, tuition, uniforms, and basic school supplies for one year in a Managua school. To qualify for a scholarship, the students must maintain a minimum 80% grade average, demonstrate economic need and spend a minimum amount of time weekly at the Center either receiving tutoring or carrying out social service projects.
Internal Scholarships
Adults and children who enroll in the Center’s classes make up the second group of students who receive scholarships. The Center charges symbolic tuition rates for most classes to help students become invested in their education and to cover about 40% of course expenses. However, the economic crisis in Nicaragua makes it difficult for some people to afford even the modest class fees. For these students, financial aid from the Center covers their tuition and provides a credit at the Center’s shop for their course materials. Just like external students, the internal scholarship recipients are expected to fulfill social service hours, such as assisting their teacher or working in the library.
To learn more about how you can donate to the Scholarship program, click here
