Dear Project AK-47 friends,
While most of our kids are out of school and singing the praises of summer break, indigenous kids in the Philippines are just starting their new school year. Many of them have been anxiously awaiting the first day of school for months – eager to crack open their books and begin soaking up new knowledge.
In areas like the remote mountain villages of the Philippines, school is literally life saving. When children aren’t in school, they face a much higher risk of army recruitment and when they lack any tangible skills, they are more likely to find joining the army the only logical decision. From the outside looking in, it’s hard to imagine a child having no better option in life than to pick up a gun. Unfortunately, this is the reality for many children around the world, which is why our education projects are so vital. For many children, it’s the difference between life and death. For each child who graduates from one of our schools, we see a new generation forming – one filled with hope and passion for the rights of children and for a peaceful future in their region.
Rizal is part of that new generation. Although he came from a broken family and was eventually deserted by his parents, he persevered and graduated as the Salutatorian of his class! What an incredible achievement and a beautiful picture of restoration. This dream would never have come true without the generous support of our sponsors and donors. I recently received a heartfelt letter from Rizal, thanking us for our help and asking us to please support his next dream – going to college!
“Thank you for the scholarship assistance that you gave me, because of that I had the opportunity to finish my high school studies and now I have graduated as Salutatorian of my class…I beg for your help to continue my studies and get a college degree because education is so valuable to me. It gives me hope for my future, as well as for my siblings…I will be a good scholar of your foundation and will study hard to get high grades!”
We would love nothing more than to bless as many graduates, like Rizal, as possible with the gift of college so they can become advocates for education and peace in their communities. Any donation made through our SCHOOLS SAVE campaign between now and July 25th will go directly to supporting that dream!
It is kids like Rizal who will ultimately work to break the grip of violence in regions like the Philippines. It’s simply our job to support and protect them in their journey. Thank you for partnering with us!
Sincerely,
Marcus Young