Helping girls flourish into empowered women!

 

Based on its core values of eradicating poverty and inequalities, the Esperanza Pertusa Foundation is launching a programme of scholarships for secondary school studies aimed at high-potential young girls in situations of extreme poverty and vulnerability.

Secondary education is a proven successful path to poverty eradication and gender equality. However, millions of people will fall short of their potential without access to secondary education. The vast majority of them will be girls.

The scarcity of educational and economic resources, the need for domestic help to take care of the house and children, together with a belief system that prioritises men over women in the professional projection of people, conditions the destiny of millions of girls in the world, as well as their families and communities.

The G4F scholarships target girls in extreme poverty and vulnerability who are in or have successfully completed their last years of primary school and show high academic potential and strong personal motivation to continue their education.

In this first edition, four scholarships are offered, which can be extended for up to four years, depending on the training pathway followed. Grants may cover any type of secondary education: pre-university education, vocational training or training for employment.

The scholarships are intended to cover the costs of registration, teaching materials, food and/or boarding necessary for the chosen secondary education studies.

The mediation of a social, educational, NGO or Foundation entity is necessary to channel the application for the grants, which will be nominative.

1. Being a girl between 13 and 15 years of age.
2. Completing or having successfully completed the last year of primary education.
3. Academic record. High potential and capacity for further education.
4. Showing personal motivation and commitment to further study.
5. Family conditions of poverty and structural difficulties (difficult access, lack of resources in the environment, etc.) to access secondary education.
6. Counting on the commitment of a social entity that channels the required documentation, the process of payment of fees and other expenses as well as the follow-up of the educational process.

Conditions for renewing grants

Grants will be renewable at the same amount between one and four years, depending on the type of studies being undertaken, and provided that the following conditions are met:

1. Successful completion of the first course
2. Maintenance of the support network to channel the training process (family, NGO, training body, etc.)
3. Presentation of the required documentation to the Esperanza Pertusa Foundation in due time and form

Who should apply?

The application must be submitted by an accredited NGO or social organisation. The application will be nominative for one or more girls, who are studying the last years of primary education or who have already finished it and who fulfil the conditions mentioned above. Each social organisation can only receive two grants for two girls in the same edition of the programme.

What documents do I need to submit when applying for a scholarship?

1. Details of the social entity presenting the candidate. Name, description of activity, website, fiscal data.
2. Brief curriculum vitae of the candidate: name, date of birth, place of birth, primary school, brief family biography, any other relevant information.
3. Motivation letter from the candidate.
4. Certificate of current school grades.
5. Description of other academic and social behavioural merits of the candidate
6. Details of the educational institution of destination: name, type of educational institution, type of studies to be undertaken and contact person.
7. Motivation letter from a direct relative of the student showing support for the training process. Indication of full name and relationship.

Period for submission of documentation

Before 30 October 2023

Through a Google Forms form

Period for acceptance of candidates and communication to applicant organisations

Before 30 November 2023

Scholarship renewal documentation

1. Course qualifications
2. Letter of follow-up and support from the applicant social organisation
3. Letter of support from the educational institution where the student is studying

Four scholarships are available. They will be selected according to the following criteria:

1. Solvency and prestige of the applicant organisation. Preference is given to well-known entities that collaborate with the Esperanza Pertusa Foundation.
2. Sustainability of the secondary education process
   • Secondary school/vocational training centre where students are going to study, solvent and recognised in the area, with the capacity to issue certifications and reports and committed to the project.

2.2. Academic potential of the student. Qualifications and other merits.

2.3. Personal and environmental motivation of the student to continue studying.

3. Family, social and economic situation of the student.

Documentation can be submitted in Spanish, English or French.

• 1. Curriculum vitae of the student for whom the scholarship is requested.
• 2. Letter from the school where they are attending primary school with certification of their current grades.
• 3. Other merits to be highlighted by the social entity and/or by the current educational entity.
• 4. Personal motivation letter from the student.
• 5. Letter of support from the student’s relative.
• 6. Letter of adhesion of the secondary school to the G4F project.
• Completed Google Form survey: https://forms.gle/94cu26JcckXA2DWW7

Documents 1 to 5 and the survey must be nominative, i.e. one for each girl for whom the scholarship is requested.

Do you want this project to be part of your company’s CSR plan? Do you want to personally support a girl who needs help to continue her studies?

The Esperanza Pertusa Foundation launches this programme for all persons or private entities that wish to support the development of the potential of a girl in need.

If you are motivated to be part of Girls4Future, we can talk about how to establish a partnership to develop this project and support secondary education for more girls around the world.

Please note that the minimum contribution will be 600 euros per year, with a minimum commitment of two years. If you can’t apply now, we look forward to seeing you in future calls.