Good morning, everyone! Over at Make Money Your Way, I’ve shared some simple tips and tricks to keep in mind during your home inspection. Meanwhile, at Savvy Scot, we continue our lifetime of savings series focusing on what should be tackled in your 40s.
Since I started Make Money Your Way last July, I pledged to donate 10% of my blogging income to support children’s education in my village. I previously shared that I awarded two scholarships to the best middle school students, enabling them to attend high school 150 miles away for the next three years. The total cost for boarding school is around $2,500 per child per year, which adds up to $15,000 over three years. This means I need to make $150,000 from blogging to cover this expense.
In addition to that, I also want to help younger girls attend primary and middle school. Many families can’t afford basic supplies like shoes, so the teachers won’t let the kids attend school barefoot. Basic supplies and uniforms cost around $30-50 per child. A school kit for a teenager, which includes shoes, uniform fabric, books, and a backpack, costs $45—about a week’s salary here.
Here’s the money I’ve raised so far:
– 10% of July’s income: $404
– 10% of August’s income: $253
– 10% of September’s income: $297
– 10% of October’s income: $357
– 10% of November’s income: $269
– 10% of December’s income: $462
– 10% of January’s income: $329
– 10% of February’s income: $634
Total: $3,005, plus $2,550 from reader donations. Thank you to every reader for your support, which has helped boost my stats, affiliate sales, AdSense revenue, and overall blogging income. You’re amazing!
My $5,555 fund has so far been used to spend $2,196 on back-to-school supplies and the first few months of boarding school tuition.
Boarding School Scholarships:
The kids are enjoying their time at boarding school, making friends, attending their first few weeks of classes, and planning for a field trip around Easter. Although they find it expensive to travel back home, they are allowed to do so once a month. I might visit the school soon and give them a ride back, but I won’t cover this expense regularly as I want them and their families to remain committed to the project. I paid $464 for the next month’s tuition, confident that they will stick with it now that the toughest part is over.
They also requested a large list of school supplies urgently, which was frustrating since the teachers had previously provided a list and then “forgot” essential items. My neighbor helped drop off the supplies, costing another $133. Additionally, one student studying accounting needed $150 for a field trip to Guatemala City, while another requested $45 for a day trip to the Caribbean coast. I advised her to consider visiting her family three times instead, and she chose family, so I’m sponsoring her bus trips home for the next three months.
Computer Literacy:
To secure minimum wage jobs in the future, these kids need to be comfortable with computers. During a trip to Miami, I collected a few laptops donated by readers, donated my old one, and bought another for this project. I decided against a cheap Chromebook due to potential complications with cloud storage and apps. Instead, I spent more on a “real” laptop, along with a keyboard and some mice. Total spent on laptops, shipping fees, and parking to collect the donations: $918.
Primary School Kids:
I spent $160 to create several primary school kits. Leftover supplies were given to the headmistress to distribute to the neediest students. I tried to distribute these supplies during the first week of school, but teachers were on strike, which lasted a month. They are now back at work, but the kids are already behind.
For now, I’ll continue with the $500 monthly tuition payments, and any extra funds will be added to the account for the next school year or for more laptops if the computer project is successful.
So, I’ve raised a total of $5,555, spent $4,066, and have $1,489 left. Thanks again for all your help and encouragement!
This post was also featured on Young Adult Money. Thank you!