Ongoing project during 2025–2026
Specifications:
- Province: San Raimundo de Peñafort Province | 2025–2026
- Sector: Education – Asia (3 communities)
- Implemented by: Dominican Sisters of the Annunciation
In Asian countries such as Vietnam and the Philippines, access to education has improved significantly in recent decades. However, deep inequalities persist between urban centers, rural areas, and marginalized communities. Structural poverty, informal employment, and economic hardship prevent many families—particularly migrant households and those with unstable incomes—from covering the costs associated with schooling, even when education is officially free.
- In the Philippines, nearly 10% of children and young people between the ages of 6 and 24 are out of school, with economic hardship cited as the primary reason. Although the government provides free basic education, the costs of school supplies, transportation, and meals continue to represent major barriers for vulnerable families (Philippine Statistics Authority, 2023).
- In Vietnam, proficiency in English has become an essential requirement for academic advancement and access to quality employment. However, private language academies remain inaccessible for many working-class and migrant families. This educational gap in English-language skills directly affects opportunities for higher education and professional development (UNESCO Global Education Monitoring Report, 2023).
Despite institutional efforts, millions of children and adolescents continue to be excluded from meaningful access to inclusive, equitable, and quality education. Through educational centers and community programs in San Carlos and Calamba (Philippines) and Ho Chi Minh City (Vietnam), the Dominican Sisters of the Annunciation provide comprehensive scholarship programs designed to address this urgent need.
The project
The School Scholarships in Asia Program is an educational initiative of Anunciata Solidarity Foundation (FASOL) aimed at guaranteeing access to quality education for children and young people living in impoverished urban and peri-urban communities in Southeast Asia.
The program responds to the growing number of students who, despite their motivation and potential, are unable to continue their education due to financial constraints.
The initiative operates in three locations:
- San Carlos, Pangasinan (Philippines): The program supports 50 primary and secondary school students attending Anunciata School, located in a rural agricultural area where family incomes are low and unstable. Scholarships cover tuition fees, educational materials, and emotional and spiritual support
- Calamba, Laguna (Philippines): A total of 29 scholarships are provided to children and young people living in situations of extreme vulnerability in informal settlements near the San Juan River. The scholarships include meals, school supplies, transportation, and enrollment support for secondary and university education.
- Ho Chi Minh City (Vietnam): 11 students receive financial assistance to attend English language classes provided by the Sisters. The program prepares students for the Cambridge English certification, improving their opportunities for university admission and access to qualified employment. The classes also incorporate values education and catechesis.
Across all three locations, the Sisters provide ongoing support to families and closely monitor students’ academic progress and social circumstances, promoting the holistic human and spiritual development of each child and young person.
General objective:
To support vulnerable children and young people in Vietnam and the Philippines so they can continue their education and access better academic and professional opportunities through scholarships that cover tuition, school materials, meals, transportation, and educational support services.
Direct beneficiaries: 90 students
- 50 students in San Carlos, Philippines
- 29 students in Calamba, Philippines
- 11 students in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Project budget (2024–2026): €15,108.40