Skills training and education provide opportunity for local employment and lead to a decline in poverty. Families in the neighboring village of Burgos struggle to cover the basic expenses to send their kids to school.

Many high school students on our island drop out due to a lack of motivation, discouragement, poverty and pressure to help family by working to meet daily needs.
When education is not given the priority it deserves, the negative long-term effects are felt for the individual and the community as a whole . Education encourages imagination, creativity and an interest in knowledge. It is a vital part of development and equipping people to be productive and contributing citizens. Education provides more opportunities for higher income generating jobs that in turn provides stability for families and better overall health and economic security. In all our years serving on Siargao, we have seen a direct correlation between destructive lifestyle choices, behaviors and a lack of education. It is for this reason that we do all we can to promote education.

Our Scholarship Program has changed to better serve the needs and provide accountability to High School students that we serve on a weekly basis. Full scholarship is provided to students who meet the following criteria:
-Perfect school attendance
-Committed weekly involvement in Hope for the Island youth programs, Saturday work chores and community service initiatives
-Good display of attitude and positive example to other students

Partial scholarship is given to those who are working towards the above criteria and showing good initiative. Scholarship operates by reimbursing the student for all school related expenses mid way through the year, then again at the end of the year. By taking this approach, students are accountable and rightly rewarded for their effort and initiative. They are learning the basic life lesson that – hard work pays off!