Currently SHARE assists 80 students; 40 get a full scholarship, and an additional 40 students receive partial funding of school fees. As part of the scholarship, we pay for obvious things like text books, but we also pay for some enriching experiences such as exposure to computers. The high schools are under-funded and poorly resourced.
The scholarship students are dedicated to their studies. They often come from remote villages to come to high school. Some students travel hours on rough roads to get to school. Some students stay nearer to the high school and pay their own room and board. Eden High School is one school we have helped. The scholarship has an effect on all students at the school because everyone understands that both the students and the school are lucky to have the scholarships.
When students receive a scholarship, they are receiving more than just an education. They are developing social skills. They are getting exposure to new opportunities. This is so important because students in rural villages feel disadvantaged to begin with. Children anywhere in the world want to fit in. If they feel accepted and norm, they have a better chance at succeeding in life. The scholarship helps motivate these students towards bigger and better things.
Not only does the scholarship help students, but it also has a positive impact on the student's families. Family is important to these students and when they get a better education, they assist their parents back in the villages.
Many families are refugees from neighbouring countries. The parents are poor. Because their income is so low, they don't have the ability to pay school fees. When you talk to the people in the village, it’s really obvious that parents value education and opportunities for their children. They all realize that they need to give their children a chance to a better future and it happens through education and the opportunities it provides. The poverty cycle is real for families in Belize and this cycle of constantly moving to a new location to try to find a better life is broken when families have a reason to stay.