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Manila Bulletin devider Lifestyle devider Youth devider Caritas Manila's YSLEP Program: Transforming lives through education

Caritas Manila's YSLEP Program: Transforming lives through education

This year's batch includes 2 summa cum laudes, 29 magna cum laudes, 109 cum laudes, 374 on the dean's list, 358 with academic excellence, and 127 special awardees.

Published Sep 25, 2023 06:30 am
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Photos shows (from L-R):  YSLEP RCAM program officer Jhon Caminsi, YSLEP program head Maribel Palmitos, Caritas Manila Executive Director Fr. Anton CT PascuaL, CAMASA president Susan Red Gomez and vicariate coordinators  pose with YSLEP graduates during the 2023 KAIROS and Recognition at St. John Bosco Parish, Tondo, Manila

Caritas Manila, the social services arm of the Archdiocese of Manila, has a total of 1,589 graduates for the school year 2022-2023 under its Youth Servant Leadership and Education Program. This batch includes 2 summa cum laudes, 29 magna cum laudes, 109 cum laudes, 374 students on the dean's list, 358 students with a grade point average of 3.5 or higher, and 127 students who received special awards.

For the present school year 2023-2024, Caritas Manila has a total of 4,240 scholars comprising new students and active youth servant leaders. Caritas Manila refers to its scholars as youth servant leaders because they undergo servant leadership and stewardship formation and training.

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2023 Kairos and Annual Recognition of  YSLEP scholars 
at the Archdiocese of Cotabato

Caritas Manila's YSLEP Program started in 1953. From just a handful of scholars in the past, Caritas Manila now accepts, sponsors and graduates thousands of deserving students from low-income families every year. To date, Caritas Manila YSLEP has 12,538 successful graduates.

This resurgence started in 2005, when Fr. Anton CT Pascual stepped in as Executive Director. He saw the potential of education to alleviate poverty. He transformed the Educational Assistance Program into the Youth Servant Leadership and Education Program.

Fr. Pascual knew that he could only grow YSLEP by activating volunteerism in as many parishes as possible. He did this by expanding the program's reach to other dioceses. YSLEP was initially only available in the nation's capital and nearby cities, but it now accepts candidates from all religions nationwide.

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YSLEP scholars clean bottles and plastics for the Reuse, Recycle and Reduce Advocacy Program at the Diocese of San Carlos Negros Occidental

Caritas Manila has identified the top 12 target beneficiaries of YSLEP as urban poor youth, menial youth workers, children in conflict with the law, children of fishers and farmers, youth with disabilities, orphans, young indigenous people, youth survivors of war, youth survivors of disasters, youth survivors of human trafficking, children of incarcerated people, and high school dropouts who are interested in completing their secondary education.

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Youth Servant Leaders from the Religious of the Virgin Mary Mother Ignasia National Social Apostolate Center during the children's feeding program 
in Alcantara, Cebu

Caritas Manila is a staunch supporter of food security and sustainable Philippine agriculture. This is provided to YSLEP beneficiaries with 244 scholars presently enrolled in agriculture and related courses such as agronomy, animal husbandry, and agricultural economics. YSLEP also practices hydroponics farming.

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YSLEP agriculture Scholars Ginalyn and Grace from the Diocese of San Carlos, Negros Occidental in the hydroponic farm

YSLEP graduates automatically become members of Caritas Manila Scholars Association (CAMASA). The organization has a Balik-Handog program that encourages successful members to give back and help existing YSLEP scholars. In 2022, CAMASA members raised P5,462,877.55 through personal donations and fundraising activities. To date, there are 92 CAMASA chapters nationwide with 2,873 active members.

Fr. Pascual strongly believes that the path out of poverty is education. "Education is a social equalizer. Not everyone is given the grace of completing his education. We want our scholars to become servant leaders following in the footsteps of Christ who came not to be served but to serve and who offered his life for the salvation of many."

Help Caritas Manila help others, call 8562-8556 or 8562-0020 (to 25) loc. 141 or 142, 0905-428-5001 or 0929-834-3857. Log on to www.caritasmanila.org.ph, visit www.facebook.com/OfficialCaritasManila, Instagram @officialcaritasmanila and Twitter @CaritasManila.

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