Partnership Overview

The IN Tertiary Scholarship Programme, formerly the Cappuccino Club, aims not only to place squatter children into university but also to provide a mentoring programme through the context of the local church. Their desire is to develop young men and women of influence from within some of the most impoverished environments imaginable and to see these young leaders grow up to become agents of change in their communities and beyond.

The original name 'Cappuccino Club' came about because for the same price as a cappuccino a day a Filipino student can attend university.

History Of Partnership

Mark and Valerie Smith are New Zealanders who lived in the Philippines from 1990 until 2002.  For the last five years of their stay, they lived in a squatter community in the provincial town of Baliuag, approximately one hour north of Metro Manila. Living amongst some of the poorest people in Asia allowed them the opportunity to express the love of Christ in some very tangible ways. During their time there they established a high school sponsorship programme that provided high school education for more than 20 deserving children. They envisioned that such a programme would go some way to alleviating poverty by providing better employment opportunities for the graduates.

On their first return visit to this community in April 2008 they were saddened to see these bright children, having graduated from high school, still working in the open markets selling fish or worse still, working as bar girls in night clubs. It soon became apparent that high school education alone, although extremely beneficial, did little to alleviate multi-generational poverty in the home. It distressed them to see brilliant children living under the curse of poverty usually through no fault of their own. They determined to do something tangible to help these children flourish.

The Cappuccino Club was born and in June 2008 two students were funded to university. Both Lorenzo and Joanna Marie excelled academically through the course of the year and developed in character. In September 2008 Mark and Valerie approached Bright Hope World with a view to partnering in this venture. 

In 2013 Mark and Valerie ceased to be involved in the partnership and a new team was formed in New Zealand to promote fundraising. Subsequent to that, the sponsorship programme was absorbed by a Christian NGO, International Needs, and the students are now part of that structure. The name on the BHW website was changed from The Cappuccino Club in 2022. 

Beneficiaries

Filipino squatter children who have graduated from high school and who have an aptitude and a desire to study further are the direct beneficiaries however this partnership will also have a flow on effect to their families and communities.  The full impact of this investment in a student's life may not be fully realized for many years to come. 

What We Like About The Partnership

There are great people on the ground who really know the children and have concern for them.
The programme is church based so there is accountability for the students to stick to their studies and continue contributing.
The structure is well set up and there are many volunteers involved in identifying, selecting, and mentoring the students.
The students are doing really well, and many have gained employment.

Key People

Leadership Profile

Arnold Mercado is the key person on the ground in Baliuag. He is a pastor in the local church on the edge of the area where most of the students live. As well, he is the coordinator of TCC and oversees the growth and development of the students, mentors them and runs the organisation. He gave up the role of associate pastor in a large church to come to this place and loves the hands-on involvement with the young people. 

Ruth, his wife, is a teacher and works in an education publishing company. They have two children. Ruth's father is the pastor at the church and her mother runs a school in the church building. They are in the process of building a school on the church property which will provide employment for some of the graduates from the programme. 

Other People Involved

The local branch of International Needs is involved in the oversight of the programme and the children. 

Vision And Annual Strategy

The aims of the IN scholarship programme are:
- to provide better employment opportunities for Filipino poor
- to serve to alleviate multi-generational poverty amongst impoverished families
- to develop future leaders through education, mentoring and transformation

The strategy involves:
- providing university level education to Filipino young adults who would otherwise, due to financial constraints, be unable to pursue tertiary level studies. 
- moulding the candidates into influential people of integrity through a contextualized mentoring programme, in order that they might be developed as leaders in their immediate communities and beyond

Candidate Selection Criteria
Academic considerations: The tertiary course to be studied must not exceed the academic ability of the candidate in question.  A suitable course must be found that is most suited to the academic ability and ambition of the candidate.

Ethical considerations:  The candidate has shown in the past a good work ethic, discipline and self-motivation and has a genuine desire to further their education and assist their family out of multi-generational poverty.

Financial considerations:  The candidate must be incapable of meeting the costs for university level education due to their impoverished circumstances.  

Annual Budget

Bright Hope World is currently sponsoring six students through university.