MBAs beginnings<div><br /></div><div>MIND BUILDERS ACADEMY (MBA) was started in 2008 on a 1500 square meter lot in Bagumbayan, Sta. Cruz Laguna, Philippines. The schools vision was to make quality education affordable to lower-income families. Having its facilities recognized by the Department of Education, MBA formally started its operations in 2009.</div><div>In 2012, MBA reached its highest enrolment record of 130 students. Unfortunately, the number of enrolees has since been declining; the school is currently facing financial setback as the school is operating at a loss -- the costs are much higher than the revenue. If the enrolments continue to decline, it may inevitably shut down. This, of course, is a situation that the school owner refuses to accept -- not just because MBAs students and faculty will be displaced if the school closes, but because she believes the schools vision is one worth nurturing.</div><div><br /></div><div>Crossing paths: MBA and Gawad Pag-asa</div><div>Gawad Pag-asa International, Incorporated (GPII) is a non-profit organization based in Davao City. It was duly registered with the Philippines Securities Exchange Commission on July 20, 2016 (Registration No. CN2016155777). One of GPIIs goals is to establish a world-class educational facility that will provide first-class education and high quality trainings to poor and promising students from within and outside the self-sustaining community.</div><div>Initially, GPII wanted to start its own school from scratch. As such, it reached out to various academic institutions, including the Mind Builders Academy (MBA), for insight. However, upon a meeting between one of GPIIs Board of Trustees and the leadership of MBA, the school instead expressed its willingness to transfer the management of the school to GPII.</div><div><br /></div><div>One dollar, two purposes</div><div>GPII now wants to help MBA and the first order of business will be to increase enrolment for the 2017-2018 school year. By raising scholarship funds for needy children, GPII sees a wonderful two-fold opportunity: help MBA increase its enrolment and at the same time provide a way for the poor to get out of the streets and into a healthy environment (i.e. MBA!). GPII hopes to provide its scholars access to the resources that they need to reach their full potential. Educating them is one of first steps to start their transformation and to that end, this fundraiser is born. The scholarship program covers all the costs (tuition fee, daily allowance and fare, uniform, shoes, bag, miscellaneous activities) for one child to attend MBA:US$1050 (Php50000)/year. We are targeting to get 50 kids into school next year.</div><div><br /></div>