World Villages for Children

World Villages for Children support the charitable programs of the Sisters of Mary with the following goals:
•relieve the poverty, hardship and distress suffered by children throughout the world through the establishment and maintenance of children's villages for children who are without parents or guardians or who, as a result of severe poverty, are in need of food, accommodation and care.
• provide education and vocational training to children living in poverty throughout the world.
• relieve the poverty, hardship and distress suffered by adults and children throughout the world by the provision of medical and welfare services and the provision of shelter for the homeless.
• educate public on the welfare of children and adults living in poverty throughout the world and the advancement of religion in all or any of the charitable works undertaken.
• promote charitable objects concerned with the welfare of children and adults suffering from poverty, hardship, sickness and distress.

In supporting the Sisters of Mary's charitable programs, World Villages for Children helps provide an education to the poorest of the poor. Our programs fully invest and believe better education is a key to breaking the poverty cycle. Our students learn practical skills in various subjects, including vocational training tailored to the local economy to guarantee immediate employment following graduation. In turn, graduates are then able to provide support to their own families and communities, which allows access to better healthcare and opportunities. By providing a quality education that leads to sustainable employment, and supporting them holistically in a community setting, we are able to lift entire communities out of poverty–for good. To achieve these proven poverty-reducing results, our programs have identified certain key factors necessary for our students' success: proper health, good nutrition, comfortable school accommodations and professional teaching staff and supplies.

The Sisters of Mary have built world-class schools in six countries across two continents, with a capacity to educate more than 21,000 children annually. Each school is fully-equipped with modern teaching facilities, a dedicated group of teachers, and ample space for recreation including soccer fields, basketball courts and swimming pools. Following graduation, students benefit from the long-standing and deep relationships with local employers that the Sisters of Mary have carefully nurtured over many years to assists new graduates in finding employment. And for those graduates with the desire and aptitude to pursue additional learning opportunities, assistance is given in finding suitable university courses. Sisters of Mary schools represent one of the most efficient and effective poverty reduction programs to be found anywhere in the world, delivering their life changing services and programs at an annual cost of just $1,496 on average per student.

Today, World Villages for Children is helping support 14 schools in 7 countries - in the Philippines, South Korea, Mexico, Guatemala, Brazil and Honduras. Since the beginning of our programs in the 1960's, more than 170,000 graduates have received a quality education at no cost to their families. We are anxious to see this number soar as we continue to break the cycle of poverty one child, one family at a time. Expansion plan are being considered to open a new program and lift even more children out of extreme poverty. We are relying on the generous contributions of our benefactors to make this dream a reality.