Access to education is a proven way to ensure economic prosperity and success for deserving Christian youth in the Holy Land. Helping them thrive and remain in their homeland is central to the mission of the Franciscan Foundation for the Holy Land. These efforts are supported through a variety of programs, and perhaps most notably our scholarship opportunities. With the help of our many generous donors, we are able to invest in the education of more and more deserving Christian scholars each year so that they can earn their undergraduate and graduate degrees. Over the last 22 years, the FFHL has sponsored four-year scholarships for over 573 students who showed tremendous academic talent, yet lacked the financial resources to pursue their higher education goals.
Thanks to these valuable scholarships, these FFHL scholars are able to open the ‘door of opportunity’ for a promising career. Not surprisingly, higher degree attainment also leads to their upward mobility in the Holy Land. Your donations for scholarships provide them with the ability to realize their dreams and to courageously pursue a life of faith, prosperity and fulfillment in the birthplace of our Lord.
Because the Franciscan Foundation for the Holy Land exists to provide critical life-sustaining opportunities to Christians in the Holy Land, these four-year university scholarships allow these young people the ability to remain in the Holy Land that will impact future generations. “God sent my family and I a blessing, that will forever change my life for the better. I am thankful to my sponsors. As a result of the education I received from the scholarship not only will I improve my own life but also the life of my children, the next generations. I will do my best to give back to the local Christian community what I received from this education.” – Carine Koussa, Former Scholarship Recipient
Another recent scholarship student wrote this letter of gratitude to his scholarship donor:
“I would like to thank you from my heart for the great opportunity that you gave it to me for the scholarship to build my future and letting my dream came true. The words cannot cover my feeling for your great support and help. Without your support I am sure that it would be difficult for me to register this year in the university. I was desperate because especially on the day when I graduated from school, the first thing that it came in my mind was how my father would afford the expenses of my university. My brother is in the university studying at UNO college to be a lawyer and my sister is studying in the university in Arabic language and her dream to be a teacher. My parents have worked hard all of their lives to build for us a good future and make us happy. I have one brother and two sisters. The oldest sister is well-educated. She studied accounting and is married with a wonderful son named Lucas who is five months old. My Mother’s dream to see us all excel academically. She created in us the ambition to fight in this life to be educated, independent people. My father works hard to keep us living in a good situation and trying his best to give us what we need even more. With your support, you are giving me the chance to continue my learning to be effective and well educated to start my life and to build my future. I am so happy that I will extend my learning and will enter the university thanks to your support and assistance to me and to my family which is much appreciated.”
Without the assistance from generous scholarship donors, many deserving young scholars like Carine and Issa would have no ability to earn a marketable university degree and obtain a secure job. Thanks to the many donations from individuals and churches, our university scholarship program has grown to over $6 million invested in both university scholarships and special education grants. In 2020, 39 students received four-year scholarships and the need is even greater this year.
If you or your church family would like to invest in the lives of promising young Christians, please consider supporting our scholarship fund by visiting our University Scholarship page, or click here.
