Changing Communities, One Girl at a Time
What started as a simple dream to help one girl continue her education and fulfill her God-given potential has grown into a program that is changing the lives of many girls. By providing scholarships and support for girls in developing countries, the Path of Hope Foundation allows girls who would otherwise not have such an opportunity to continue their education and expand their horizons.
Our Beginnings
The idea for Path of Hope was born out of a mission trip to Honduras in 2005. After meeting an 11-year old girl living in a one-room shack without electricity or running water, John Mason wanted to do something to help change the course of this girl’s life. After realizing that formal education usually stops in the 6th grade for children in Honduras (due to the distance required to travel into the cities and associated costs), John began providing financial support for this girl to continue her education. By sharing this story with friends and family, additional girls were sponsored each year so that they, too, could continue their education.
With an ever increasing number of people wanting to help, and a growing number of girls wanting to enter the program, John and his wife D’Lanna saw the need to create an infrastructure to secure support and administer the funds in these impoverished areas. In 2008, they formally established the Path of Hope Foundation as a non-profit organization, developed a Board of Directors and began the application process for 501(c)3 status for the administration of funds. In 2009, 501(c)3 status was granted, making all donations to the foundation tax deductible.
Why Girls
In countries throughout Central America, children are only required to attend six years of school. After that, school is only available for those who have the means to buy uniforms, books and supplies. They also have to be able to get to a school, often located miles away in major cities.
Our Students
Our girls are just like any girl you know. They love clothes, sports, movies, and other activities. The only difference is, they can’t afford it. Since many of them live with families that make less than $1 per day, their life is solely focused on survival.
Foundation FAQs
What is your mission?
The mission of the Path of Hope Foundation is to provide financial assistance in the form of scholarships to impoverished girls in Central America to assist them in obtaining an education. We believe that by educating girls, we are able to positively impact communities.
Are you affiliated with a religious or government organization?
While the idea for Path of Hope was born out of mission trips to Honduras, the recipients of the educational scholarships are selected based on financial need without regard to religious preferences.
Where do you get your funding?
Funding for Path of Hope comes from individual and corporate donations as well as grants.
How are scholarships used?
While public education in Honduras is government funded, once students finish primary school (grades 1-6) they must leave the village schools and travel to major cities to continue their education. Path of Hope scholarships cover the fees associated with this including uniforms, books and supplies, and transportation costs to and from school.
All scholarship donations to Path of Hope go directly to funding scholarships for girls’ education. Any unrestricted donations are used for administrative costs associated with supporting the foundation.
There are no paid staff members at Path of Hope. Volunteers run the foundation.
How much is a Path of Hope Scholarship?
There are two ways to fund girls’ scholarships. The first is a one-year donation of $350, which covers uniforms, books, supplies and transportation costs to and from school. The second is to fund six years (grades 7-12) for a girl’s education with a donation of $2100.
There are three ways to pay the $350 to fund a girl’s scholarship:
Send a one-time payment of $350
Send $58 a month for six months
Send $29 a month for twelve months
If you choose the six or twelve month payment option, an email reminder will be sent to you on the 15th of every month.
Can I sponsor a particular girl? Can I get letters from her?
For the protection of the girls and our contributors, we do not assign sponsors to a particular girl. We encourage visiting our website to follow stories of interest about the girls and their accomplishments.