Educational initiative for the out of school youth

The following is an e-postcard from Zamil Akhtar, a GlobalGiving Representative in the Philippines:

Education is something many of us take for granted, and upon visiting De La Salle University’s out-of-school kids program, I realized just how precious it is. Today, the kids had to practice essay writing for an upcoming national exam. “It’s hard for them to express themselves in writing,” the teacher told me, “they can talk and talk and talk, but writing their thoughts doesn’t come naturally.” In fact, gaining an education doesn’t come naturally -- most of these kids had never even been in school, forced to work at a young age to support their families. When they complete the out of school program, they will have the equivalent of a high school diploma and the opportunity to enter college. This is their path to climbing out of poverty and living a better life.