Scholarship
ADAPT believes that the best counter-trafficking prevention method is to keep at-risk girls in school.
The scholarship component of ADAPT has the following characteristics:
1. Direct payment of tuition, health insurance, and parents’association fees. These fees are mandated by the school system.
2. In-kind donation of uniforms, books and school supplies.
3. After-school tutoring program to ensure and enhance student academic achievement.
4. Frequent and periodic follow-up with families and schools to confirm that student is provided with a nurturing environment to continue education.
Training and support to the local Hoi Khuyen Hoc [Association to Promote Learning] for their active engagement and feedback.
Second Year Scholarship Ceremonies August 2006
We are extremely pleased to showcase the second annual scholarship ceremonies that took place from August 23rd - 25th, 2006 in five districts in our programs. We choose to deliver these scholarship support in person and therefore arranged for five different locations. This is the second year support to the young students who have been identified through household visits last year. The girls chosen for the scholarships based on their risk profile and not on whether they excel in school. As a result, the recipient population ADAPT works with is much tougher as they are the poorest of the poor in these locations.
During these ceremonies, ADAPT handed out 470 scholarships. Instead of giving money directly to the recipients or families, we supply books, health insurance, school supplies and uniforms, and provide private tutoring. This might seem simple, but imagine hiring tailors to make hundreds of custom-made ao-dai to fit each and every single girl. All the effort and work pays off when you hear a girl exclaiming, “Mung qua!”(I am so happy).
In this line of work, between meetings with local authorities to make sure that they are in sync with ADAPT’s agenda and repetitive long household visits to encourage the students and their family to stay in school, much effort and patience are required. The scholarship ceremonies are one of the rare and precious opportunities that provide “instant gratification”! 470 scholarships. 470 girls with a chance to graduate from high school, and a chance to improve their lives.