Scholarships for Needy Childrens

Since 2008 Brazil has fought for a stable economy, and has achieved this through debt reduction programs. Although the country is performing well, there are still pockets of poverty. 21.4% of the population lives under the poverty line. Mão Amiga Brazil supports a population in dire need of financial resources that is located in the outskirts of Itapecerica da Serra, bordering the outskirts of São Paulo and Embu-Guaçu. It is located in the Jardim Santa Júlia district, surrounded by a region in need of our help, due to many issues, such as poverty, violence and drug abuse.
Mão Amiga Brazil opened its doors in 2006 with 48 pre school children in a remote village far from the metropolitan area of San Paul. This town, Jardin Santa Julia, with 20,000 residents has been plagued through the years with unemployment, violence, poverty and illiteracy.

Students: 440
Founded: 2006
The goal of Mão Amiga Brazil transcends that of traditional academics. Administrators and educators of the school have geared their program to address the whole needs of the impoverished child. From attention issues to perseverance, discipline, learning deficits and spirituality, the objective is to raise impoverished children out of the confines of generational poverty, allowing them the ability to become self-sufficient and use the gifts God gave them.

Fourteen needy children have received scholarships this fall to attend our Mão Amiga School in Brazil. Thanks to Dr. Nicholas Perricone, a generous and loyal donor, these children are given a significant chance for success through a formative Catholic education. Dr. Perricone has had a heart for the children of Brazil for many years. He has demonstrated his support by funding scholarships to allow these children a chance at a formative Catholic education, and families the opportunity to lift themselves out of generational poverty.

Providing an Education to Impoverished Area

Colombia has population of 46 million people. 27.8% of those people live under the poverty line in dire situations. Although the country has roots in Catholic it is not prevailing ideology of the country. The government is doing everything in its power to increase security and stop drug trafficking and gang violence. Poor cities still suffer under this oppression though. Providing an education to poor child in impoverished area like the two Mano Amiga schools in Colombia helps change the ideology of the communities and helps children choose career paths other than corruption and violence.

Mano Amiga Bello

Students: 667
Founded: 1995
Location: Medellín, Colombia

Medellín, Colombia has dark history of gang violence. The repercussions of this violence are still felt today, but Mano Amiga Bello is a bacon of hope in the midst of great difficulty.

Mano Amiga Bello opened in 1995, during the hight of gang violence. In the beginning, there were 30 students who attended class in a small home. Soon, teachers, students, parents, and neighbors started to help. They began building “their school” to counteract the indifferences and destruction that was created by the violence in Bello.

Today, Mano Amiga Bello is major education institution in the area. It serve 600 low-income students, giving hope to impoverished families who can’t afford school otherwise.

Mano Amiga Zipaquirá

Students: 120
Founded: 2011
Location: Zipaquirá, Colombia

Mano Amiga Zipaquirá is located in a rural area in outskirts of Bogota. Their first classroom had only 20 students but they hope to one day have 900 students attend the school.

Today, Mano Amiga Zipaquirá is growing at a rapid rate. Out of nearly 11,000 residents, only 3,000 or so have some level of education. Visit the Updates tab to learn more about new efforts to support Mano Amiga Zipaquirá growth.

Provide High Level Catholic Education

The Mano Amiga San Antonio school is located in a rural area of the “Departamento de La Paz,” near the central coast of El Salvador. The families with children in the Mano Amiga school come from the municipalities of Santiago Nonualco, San Pedro Masahuat and San Luis La Herradura, in the district of La Paz. The majority of families have very scarce economic resources, with low incomes. Most of them work in the informal sector as fishermen, market vendors, sugar cane planters; and those who work in the formal sector have a high level of instability. Mano Amiga San Antonio strives to provide to families in the community with opportunities as well.

The VIS Foundation began building a Church. The community is so excited because the priest will also be serving the students of Mano Amiga. Students, teachers, and the community will be receiving integral moral formation, thanks to the help of Catholic World Mission donors.

Serves and Supports Families by Education

Cristo Rey Piedra Parada is an impoverished community, located near Guatemala City. They have a population of 4600 people, half of whom are children. Characteristically, they are all very hard working people, but due to lack of education they earn very little. Mano Amiga Guatemala believes in the dignity of all human beings and provides opportunities for the children in education, their families, and the community to succeed.

Mano Amiga Guatemala School

Students: 160
Founded: 2006
Location: Cristo Rey Piedra Parada, Guatemala

Mano Amiga Guatemala is a school with Christian values that works for the integral development of children, ages five to eleven, in the village of Cristo Rey Piedra Parada and villages surrounding. It is an institution for underprivileged children whose core objective is academic training, supplemented by effective programs of family and community development.

Bring a Higher Level of Education

Mano Amiga was founded in Mexico to bring a higher level of education that is rich in Catholicism to impoverished areas of the country. Since founding, 22 schools have opened in Mexico alone. Those 22 schools in total provide an education for over 15,000 students and give jobs to 1,200 people. Mano Amiga graduates have gone on to become doctors, lawyers, dentists, business professionals, loving parents and involved members of the community. More than 85% of Mano Amiga students proceed to institutes of higher learning; 83% of graduates are formally employed.

“A teacher affects eternity: he can never tell where his influence stops.” – Henry Adams

Mexico confronts serious problems including poverty, violence, corruption, drug trafficking, and social inequality, most of which are rooted in lack of education and opportunity. Mano Amiga grew in response to these problems. Only quality education can bring long-lasting change to the country. Read about some of the Mano Amiga campuses in Mexico here.

Mano Amiga Acapulco

Students: 765
Founded: 2001
Mano Amiga Acapulco is located in one of the poorest and most violent communities in the country. Parents are desperate for a safe place for their children to learn and grow. Mano Amiga Acapulco is the answer to their prayers.

Mano Amiga Cancun

Students: 875
Founded: 2009
Located just miles away from the beach and the tourist district, Mano Amiga Cancun serves the students and families of the surrounding region. Cancun is the most popular tourist destination in the Caribbean, but many of the local residents grapple with poverty. Mano Amiga provides high quality, Catholic education in a loving, family-like environment.

Mano Amiga Chalco

Students: 949
Founded: 1993
Mano Amiga Chalco was founded in response to a visit from Pope St. John Paul II in 1990. He urged the people to take care of their youth, and the people of Chalco responded. The school was built as 3 preschools, and has now grown to include every grade! Mano Amiga Chalco has matriculated over 10 graduating classes. 70% of the students go on to study in universities and technical schools.

Mano Amiga Conkal

Students: 404
Founded: 2005
Mano Amiga Conkal was founded after Hurricane Isidore hit Mexico in 2005. Mano Amiga is a comprehensive education center where children and young people in need receive the tools necessary to become successful people. Mano Amiga Conkal accomplishes this by meeting the poorest families’ needs and forming them spiritually, intellectually, socially, and on a human level.

Mano Amiga La Cima

Students: 423
Founded: 1991
Mano Amiga La Cima is a fantastic school with lots of beautiful and hardworking students. Several years ago, the school’s fencing was damaged by Hurricane Alex. As a result, the school was exposed to gangs who vandalized it constantly. Your generosity allowed Mano Amiga La Cima to rebuild its focus!

Mano Amiga Monterrey

Students: 950
Founded: 1974
Mano Amiga Monterrey serves students grades Pre-K through high school. Because of limited space, students attend school in shifts: boys in the morning and girls in the afternoon. The average student at Mano Amiga Monterrey has approximately 50% of their tuition covered by scholarships—provided by donors like you!

Mano Amiga Morelia

Students: 620
Founded: 2009
Morelia, one of the richest and most densely populated cities in Mexico, has the highest kidnapping rate in the country. While the government cracks down on cartels and crime, one of the best ways for children and their families to escape these horrible situations is through education. Mano Amiga Morelia is one of the safe havens that helps children and their families escape the cycle of poverty that perpetuates such crime.

Mano Amiga Puebla

Students: 776
Founded: 2006
Our own Deacon Rick Medina got to visit Mano Amiga Puebla in 2013. He was able to give out full-year scholarships, meet a widowed mother of two and hear her story of hope, and learn about other needs at the school. Mano Amiga Puebla has a high percentage of special needs students, whom they are finding creative ways to teach and serve.

Mano Amiga Querétaro

Students: 595
Founded: 2005
In Querétaro, many families are poor and can’t afford to send their children to school. The average student at Querétaro has 64% of their tuition provided by partners, benefactors, and donors like you! Mano Amiga Querétaro serves children in the community as well as their families.

Mano Amiga Santa Catarina

Students: 850
Founded: 1989
CWM Executive Director Deacon Rick Medina got to visit Mano Amiga Santa Catarina in 2013. There, he was greeted by students, faculty, parents, and the greater community. One of the families Deacon Rick got to meet was Javier and his wife, who have 4 children. Two are grown and work as an industrial engineer and psychologist, respectively. The younger two are still in school at MA Santa Catarina. They say going to school here is worth the daily 3-mile-long walk!

Mano Amiga Tapachula

Students: 774
Founded: 2006
Quality education is badly needed in Tapachula. There, about 75% of the population lives in poverty. 18 out of 100 people can’t read or write, and most drop out from school after 7th grade. Thanks to your generosity, 98% of Mano Amiga Tapachula’s students are given scholarships, making it possible for them to beat the odds. Thank you for all you do!

Mano Amiga Tijuana

Students: 192
Founded: 2008
Known as Mexico’s fifth largest metropolitan area, Tijuana remains a major cultural, municipal, and commercial center. The Mano Amiga School lies on the outskirts of this urban hub in a neighborhood familiar with underdevelopment and poverty.

Through the aid of Catholic World Mission, 100 percent of the school’s enrollment are granted scholarships. Because of the steadily increasing population, however, many families are still waiting to be granted enrollment and scholarship to the school.

Mano Amiga Zomeyucan

Students: 511
Founded: 1963
Mano Amiga Zomeyucan was the first Mano Amiga School to be founded by the Legionaries of Christ in 1963. It started with 14 students in preschool whose parents were determined for them to have Catholic education. Today, the school has grown to include over 511 students, and international serves students in nine countries! Mano Amiga Zomeyucan laid the foundation for 22,000 students and it is still expanding thanks to your generosity.

Give Students Skills They Need to Succeed

The Mano Amiga Academy community in the Philippines prides itself on the school’s holistic approach to learning. Combining the imperatives of a developmentally appropriate learning environment, solid curriculum, a strong spiritual formation program and extra-curricular activities, the school has seen great success in educating impoverished children, many from the urban slums of Manila.

Mano Amiga Academy

Students: 220
Founded: 2008
Location: Parañaque, Philippines

For the past 16 years, Mano Amiga Philippines was able to provide more than 2000 scholarships to students coming from underprivileged families. It began when after graduating from College, Lynn Pinugu applied to be a youth volunteer at Mano Amiga Guanajuato in Mexico. Inspired by not only the quality of the school but also the “students’ self-confidence, good communication skills and enthusiastic participation,” Lynn pushed for a location in the Philippines to give Filipino families from low-income communities the chance to have an international and holistic education. Through the aid of Catholic World Mission throughout the years, the number of enrolled students has increased tri-fold from its initial 60 when the school started in 2008.

Celebrating Love, Faith, and Kindness During Mano Amiga’s 15th Anniversary

Philippines – October 2023

On October 4, we came together to commemorate a significant milestone in the journey of Mano Amiga – our 15th anniversary.  From a heartfelt Thanksgiving Mass to inspiring panel discussions with our remarkable students, ’15: On A Mission’ was a celebration of love, faith, and kindness.

Our celebration welcomed members of our Board, partners, volunteers, and supporters, whose acts of kindness fortify our mission, extending our reach to students and families. Mano Amiga Ambassadors Sophia Diaz and Clark Dino expressed gratitude and unity, emphasizing community contribution. A panel discussion featuring students Mikaela, Noah, Zach, and Denise highlighted our empowering environment and holistic education approach. The essence of Mano Amiga, rooted in love and passion for community upliftment through education, was echoed in closing remarks by Ms. Lynn Pinugu, our Executive Director, inspiring us to strive for the best and repay kindness with love and faith.

In ’15: On A Mission,’ we celebrated not just 15 years of Mano Amiga but also the countless lives touched, the dreams nurtured, and the love shared within our community. As we look forward to the future, we carry with us the mission to spread love, faith, and kindness to every corner of the world, just as we have done for the past 15 years.

“I hope that Mano Amiga keeps doing what it’s good at, just being a community, a really nice community where you can interact with others and feel no pressure. And I hope Mano keeps developing as a whole.” –  Zachary Blaze Carrillo, Grade 9 student

Mano Amiga Scholars Club Formation

Philippines – September 2023

Over the years, Mano Amiga has provided more than 2,000 scholarships to children from low-income communities. As we welcomed both new and current scholars this school year, we hosted a special orientation aptly titled “Ignite” to fuel their passion for learning and reaffirm the value education holds.

We opened a Scholars Club for our upper school students, creating a space for those who have a strong passion for learning and strive for academic excellence. In our first club meeting, members enthusiastically discussed the upcoming club activities, which includes leadership workshops and events that will allow them to meet the generous benefactors. They are genuinely excited about the prospects of personal growth and the chance to express their gratitude while sharing their inspiring journeys with those who have supported them.

Solving Real-world Problems with Education that Goes Beyond

Philippines – April 2023

The Mano Amiga Academy students showcased their problem solving skills to parents and guests during the Open House: Idea Carnival last April 15. Students transformed their classrooms into different booths that showed problems they identified and the process they went through as a class to find solutions for it. Guests were blown away by the inventiveness and eloquence of the students as they shared their journey with their projects.

The Kinder Joy class exhibited that there’s no such thing as “too young” when solving real-world problems. Throughout the school year, they identified and expressed their anxiety with being separated from their parents. With the guidance of their teacher, a solution they came up with was designing and creating their own teddy bears that would help them enjoy school without feeling homesick.

From solutions to personal problems, Grade 6 students then presented their project entitled “Keepin’ It Cool” where they challenged themselves to find the best solution to lower the temperature of their classroom. They explored different solutions such as placing plants on their windowsills and building DIY coolers to solve their problem, working together as a class to resolve an issue they experience together.

Each of the eleven classes tackled real-world problems in applying their Project-Based Learning Outputs. Mano Amiga continues to deliver education that goes beyond what is expected. They showed how they have developed the skills to overcome their personal challenges to come up with creative and innovative solutions to the problems they encounter on a daily basis – inspiring the guests to do the same.

Another Successful School Year!

Guatemala – February 2023

Thanks to your support, the students, teachers, and parents of Mano Amiga Guatemala continue to have another successful school year! See the pictures of dedicated students discovering their talents through drawing, painting, gardening, building science dioramas, solving math equations, and exploring parts of culture. The Mano Amiga Guatemala school sparks such joy, creativity, and passion within the school walls that then translates to self-confidence and stronger family relationships at home. We are inspired by Mano Amiga Guatemala’s expansive curriculum and beautiful incorporation of the Catholic faith!

Thanks to your generous support, Mão Amiga Brazil and Catholic World Mission continues our partnership of over 20 years with another year of education, faith, and fellowship for 483 children! Mão Amiga Brazil understands the importance holistic education and focuses on forming well-rounded charitable individuals who are confident academically, emotionally, socially, and spiritually.

Through your gifts, Mão Amiga Brazil was able to provide children with new textbooks and lesson plans, furniture for their Chapel, weekly catechesis classes, a youth group club, a vocational fair, a coexistence retreat, a sustainability-focused science fair, an environmental studies program, and professional guidance on physical and mental health care. We are immensely grateful for Mão Amiga’s education that fills young minds with knowledge while also nourishing hearts and souls.

Thank you again for your generous support that has contributed significantly through 18 scholarships for children in Colombia.

The Mano Amiga El Salvador location has overcome many obstacles and has brought forth an excellent environment for learning thanks to generous donors.

Thanks to your generosity the school has new laptops!

You continue to elevate the education at the Mao Amiga Sao Paulo School in Brazil! Initially, many students needed to share a limited supply of laptops to complete their schoolwork. Thanks to your generosity, we have increased their learning potential by giving these bright students an additional 40 Chromebooks and 2 charging stations. Today more students are dynamically engaging digitally in the classroom.

Along with new ways to connect in the classroom through technology, students can now spend more time comfortably completing homework and building community thanks to the tables, chairs, and benches you provided for their lounge area. The students are very appreciate of the updated lounge and thankful for the technology that will facilitate learning and shape their futures.

TESTIMONIES

Camilly Gabriely
11th grade

 “I am one of the students who, at the moment, do not have access to a personal computer. Therefore, the Chromebooks donated by Catholic World Mission have been very useful for my learning at school. Through them, I manage to keep up with all my tasks and academic work, as I can stay at school after school hours and use them in my studies for exams and entrance exams. Computers allow each student to have their privacy guaranteed, as their documents are stored in the cloud, linked to their personal account.”

Maria Eduarda
8th grade

“The chromebooks donated by Catholic World Mission are already being of great use to us high school students at Colégio Mão Amiga. Through them, our classes become more dynamic and full of important digital resources for our learning, they also help us with research, group work and presentations of school work. Computers are also available during off-hours, as not all students have computers in their homes and others need to share them with siblings and family members. I am so grateful to the donors and the College for providing us with something so essential to our learning.”

André Gonçalves
High School Pedagogical Coordinator

“Having a quality physical structure is one of the fundamental requirements for the functioning of a school. In October, we received the donation of several pieces of furniture from Catholic World Mission that now make up the covered patio of the high school building. Looking at the use of these furniture items by our students over the past two months, I could see that they have contributed to student socialization during breaks, to more interactive lessons outside the classroom, as well as to group work. The design of the furniture combined a lot with the architecture of the building, providing a beautiful, harmonious and comfortable space.”

Stephanie Quinlan recently visited Mano Amiga Cancun, where she got to meet students, teachers, and administrators.

Stephanie Quinlan recently visited Mano Amiga Cancun, where she got to meet students, teachers, and administrators.

Deacon Eric Gilhooly, LC, will soon be ordained to the priesthood! To celebrate this occasion, instead of gifts, Deacon Eric is raising funds to help Mano Amiga Zipaquirá build an additional classroom.

Celebrate Deacon Eric’s vocation and make a long-term impact for the children of Colombia!

The first students to complete high school at Mano Amiga Guadalajara, Mano Amiga Puebla, and Mano Amiga Torreón are on to the next step in their bright futures. Take a moment to pray for these amazing trailblazers!

Student leaders, social innovators, community developers, and tech enthusiasts from all over the Philippines represented their causes in the second Digital Youth Summit, called #iamDigital. #iamDigital was a three-day workshop with the goal of promoting authenticity, critical thinking, empathy, and helping form youth leaders in effectively promoting digital responsibility and citizenship.

Participants received mentoring and guidance form content creators, social entrepreneurs, and thought leaders through various panel discussions and speaker sessions.

The Summer ended with a celebration as five groups were recognized as outstanding Digital Youth Ambassadors. It is truly inspiring to see how young leaders and community organizers are shaping the digital landscape into a more meaningful place!

The 8th grade class worked hard to support the Autism community in the Philippines. They led the school-wide effort to raise money for Autism Society Philippines by organizing a garage sale fundraiser. Students from all grade levels brought clothes, toys, and other goods to sell. They raised about 8,000 PHP (the currency in the Philippines is the Philippine Peso)!

Lovely and her classmates also created a video and PowerPoint presentation, which they presented to the younger students to raise awareness within the student body.

Thank you for all you give so that Mano Amiga schools can continue to educate and empower children throughout Latin America and the Philippines to be world changers!

Nineteen 6th graders just graduated! We are so proud of them and all the hard work they’ve put in to reach this milestone. Join us in wishing them a great big “FELICIDADES!” (“CONGRATULATIONS!”)

To our faithful donors, thank you for your support of students like these 6th graders. Your generosity opens doors for them each and every year. Education is one of the greatest gifts we could ever give, and you make it possible for thousands of children worldwide to learn. Thank you!

As a direct result of your generosity during the 2017 Back to School campaign, MA Conkal was able to buy 50 new desks for its students! Click through the pictures below to see the new desks, as well as some photos of the little ones making arts and crafts at their new desks. Thank you for your generous giving to these schools–you make it possible every day for students in the poorest parts of the world to receive quality education!

A big thank you to all of you who gave to our Back to School campaign this year. You provided new desks for the little ones at Mano Amiga Bello! Check out the cute pictures in the image carousel below.

Students in every grade level got to showcase projects and ideas to their parents, guests, and school donors and partners. Students shared artwork, ideas (including solar panels students made themselves!), and audio visual communications skills!

Thanks to your generosity during the 2017 Back to School campaign, Mano Amiga San Antonio was able to make some much-needed structural repairs to ensure the safety of students and teachers!

• Bathrooms: new tile floors, new stall doors installed
• Cafeteria: the corrugated metal roof was previously supported only by rough hewn wooded poles; the roof was completely replaced with new metal sheeting, and new concrete support beams. They were even able to install electricity and lights!
• Doors and Ceilings: old door knobs, cabinet handles, and ceiling panels were replaced with brand new ones

Thank you!

PBL activities focus on immediate application of what students learn in the classroom.

Examples include: 6th grade students turned their classroom into a TEDx event to educate guests on important topics like Role of Education in Terrorism and Changing Corruption in the Philippines; 4th grade students created a fire safety puppet show; 3rd grade students acted as tour guides for their guests as they led them on a journey through Manila with dioramas, display boards, maps, and a Manila-themed photo booth they created!

This August, Mano Amiga Philippines opened their campus to double the number of students they had enrolled in the 2015 school year! This huge leap is thanks to the generosity of so many donors who have made it possible for Mano Amiga Academy to expand and move into a new building! This new building now has nine classrooms and 171 students who are eager to learn. Partners also enabled Mano Amiga Philippines’ students to swap their heavy textbooks for e-tablets, a change that is more cost-efficient long-term, and will create an engaging learning experience that fosters responsible digital citizenship among the students.

Mano Amiga Philippines was also granted a five-year Non-Government Organization certification by the Philippines Council for NGO Certification! Meaning they can better serve the community by maintaining their nonprofit certification.

Mano Amiga principal, Revelyn Tria-Siasoyco, shares, “To develop life-long learners, students need to associate learning with both fun and hard work. We take pride in giving our students an exciting and enriching learning experience.” (philstar.com, 21 November 2016) The students at Mano Amiga Philippines come from extremely impoverished families. Without the generosity of donors and the Catholic World Mission family none of this would be possible.

Earlier this year Mano Amiga Philippines broke ground on their new site! Their school is going from a three room house for 95 students where they currently take turns attending class between morning and afternoon shifts to a dedicated building where all the children can attend school at once! When Deacon Rick, Executive Director of Catholic World Mission, visited Mano Amiga Philippines this year he saw how happy the children are at their school!

“I’m excited for my son, John Christian, as he joins the move of Mano Amiga from FTI, Taguig to Betterliving, Paranaque. He and his friends at school will have a different and better environment where they can actively learn through their access to world-class facilities.” – Mary Jane Gorgonio, Mano Amiga Parent for 5 Years

The new permanent campus will enable Mano Amiga Philippines Academy to accommodate between 800 – 1200 students at once! The school year begins in August 2016, and Mano Amiga is in the process of acquiring tiles, piping, windows, doors, and other materials needed to finish the building. The facility is three stories high, and students are already lining up to take a seat in the new building. Mano Amiga Philippine’s long-term goal is to build a library with a technology-enabled classroom to enhance the students’ learning.

Thanks to your generosity in 2014, Mano Amiga Tapachula was able to build a new high school facility! Take a look at the photos below to see the various stages of construction progress.

The upper school students take a Hardware Workshop in which they learn different technical skills. Companies have donated their old computers to their school for the students to take apart and repair back together. They then give the working computers to families in the community to use. Many families can not afford computers so to receive one that their student has helped repair is quite the blessing and honor.