FAQS

ANCOP stands for Answering the Cry of the Poor. It is a program founded by Couples for Christ (CFC), a faith-based Vatican-recognized international lay organization of the faithful that has a worldwide membership and active in 100 countries and dependent territories, and was made for the purpose of consolidating CFC's effort in BUILDING THE CHURCH OF THE POOR. Shelter building for the poor and education sponsorship are among its many programs. In Australia, ANCOP is operating as duly registered non-profit organisation called CFC ANCOP Australia Ltd. It is registered with the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC) since December 2012 and has a Deductible Gift Recipient (DGR) status.
Families in the Holy Spirit Sharing Christ’s Transforming Love with the Poor
ANCOP's efforts revolve around transforming, materially and spiritually the:
· Child
· Family
· Community
Philippines, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu

ANCOP has three major programs

  1. Community Development
  2. Education
  3. Calamity and Disaster Response
Community Development is one of the two major projects aimed at directly helping the poor. The program organises, develops and empowers a community where a poor child and his family can live in decent surroundings to experience life grounded on Christian values, respect and practices.
  1. Shelter – Builds ANCOP Communities (villages) by providing housing and common facilities for the poor
  2. Livelihood – Provides the necessary training and/or economic opportunities to become gainfully employed through sustainable livelihood programs.
  3. Health – ANCOP Health aims to support and promote a culture of health consciousness in poor communities by advocating and implementing good health practices such as hygiene, nutrition and preventive health care leading to a healthy lifestyle for the whole family.

ANCOP’s Education program is aimed to educate poor children and their families. ANCOP believes that education of the poor child and his family is key to poverty alleviation.

There are three major programs under education:

  1.  Education Sponsorship Program (ESP)
  2. Cornerstone
  3. Technical and Vocational Education and Training

Every parent dreams of a better life for their children and provide them the opportunity to develop into responsible adults who understands the world they live in, able to socially interact without insecurities, grow in virtues and discover their passion and talents by which to become productive members of the society.

The realities of poverty not only could kill this dream but worse, when hopelessness drags parents to false sense of coping mechanisms, the whole family and the community suffer.

ANCOP offers hope by showing that caring and sharing still happens. It is clear however that we do not take over the parents’ primary responsibility of looking after the family but rather partnering with families as a source of support and encouragement.

ESP provides financial support to allow a poor child or youth progress through school and gain educational qualification. The support comes in the form of paying for tuition and school fees (Primary, Secondary, Vocational, and University), school uniform, books, and transportation allowance. This is coupled with values formation for the beneficiaries and their families where they learn to appreciate the importance and impact of their scholarship in the various areas of their lives, deepen their relationship with God and become blessing for others.

Our Education Sponsorship program is intended for the poorest of the poor. In the Philippines for example, the child must belong to a family with a combined income of at most $480/month (based on PhP37.50/Au$1). Each family of at least 2 siblings can only be entitled to one sponsored child. If the financial circumstance of the family changes such that the parents become financially capable of fully supporting the education of the child, the ANCOP ESP support ceases. In terms of academic standing, the beneficiary must maintain an average mark of 78% across all subjects for Primary and Secondary, and 2.75 for Tertiary.

Our Education Sponsorship program is intended for the poorest of the poor. In the Philippines for example, the child must belong to a family with a combined income of at most $480/month (based on PhP37.50/Au$1). Each family of at least 2 siblings can only be entitled to one sponsored child. If the financial circumstance of the family changes such that the parents become financially capable of fully supporting the education of the child, the ANCOP ESP support ceases. In terms of academic standing, the beneficiary must maintain an average mark of 78% across all subjects for Primary and Secondary, and 2.75 for Tertiary.

No. Providing funding that is not tied to a specific student or type of education allows CFC ANCOP to be flexible in where and how funds are used both in the Philippines and Oceania.
Benefits received by scholars vary depending on the educational level, country, and/or institution. In the Philippines, the donation would generally provide for the scholar’s tuition fees, shoes and uniform, books, and school supplies. It also includes annual medical/dental check-up, values and spiritual formation, and fees for field trips and other school activities.

ANCOP Australia does not provide the donor’s contact information to the scholar, nor provide the scholar's information to the donor. Providing this level of information is not in line with the basic principle of Catholic Social Teaching to support and uphold the dignity of the human person. It exploits poor parents who have no other way of paying for education of their children but to agree to share information and pictures of their children.

ANCOP Australia does not encourage direct communication between donor and scholar, as well as visitations, in accordance with Australia’s child protection and safeguarding laws, as well as for the protection of both parties.

Yes, donations over $2 are tax-deductible. Receipts will be issued.

This varies depending on the educational level and area. In the Philippines, a $360 yearly donation covers the school fees of a child in primary or high school, while a $720 yearly donation covers the fees of a scholar in college or vocational school.

ANCOP envisions supporting the student all the way up to their graduation. However, a child sponsorship may be discontinued for the following reasons:

- Non-compliance with the scholarship program requirements
- Relocation of student to an area not covered by ANCOP’s operation
- Excessive school absences
- Dropping out from school

On a positive note, a scholar may leave the program voluntarily in the event that their family’s financial status may have improved.

ANCOP envisions supporting the student all the way up to their graduation. However, a child sponsorship may be discontinued for the following reasons:

- Non-compliance with the scholarship program requirements
- Relocation of student to an area not covered by ANCOP’s operation
- Excessive school absences
- Dropping out from school

On a positive note, a scholar may leave the program voluntarily in the event that their family’s financial status may have improved.

Do email us at info@cfcancop.org requesting the donation change. Please ensure your full name and contact details are on the email so we can identify you. Please allow up to 14 days notice for the change to be processed.

Cornerstone is ANCOP’s partnership program for education. It reaches out to academically struggling students and provides formation support to students and parents.

It has two levels, one for Elementary and one for High School.

The Elementary Program reaches out to slow readers in elementary children in public schools through Reading Tutorials and Values Formation.

The High School Program targets High School leaders through Christian leadership and Values Formation. Family support is provided through Parenting Formation. The Cornerstone Program is consistent with the core mission of CFC to bring Christ’s transforming love to families and the poor.

The tutorials, values formation and feeding activities for elementary schoolers target those who lag academically, with focus on the reading and learning needs of Grades 2 and 3 pupils. The tutorials and other activities are held mostly on weekends and run by volunteers coming from the CFC community.

The High School Leadership and Values Formation, on the other hand, caters to the top 30 students of public high schools. Aside from topics on leadership, students attend sessions on issues that affects their lives as teenagers. Students also gain a support system from Youth for Christ (YFC) and CFC members.

As a partnership program, the work of Cornerstone involves other partners who work towards the same mission of providing complementary services to public schools through programs that mentor students, empower teachers, provide free school supplies, scholarships, preventative dental and health programs, feeding program, and improvement of certain school facilities like the Brigada Eskwela and other “School Build” initiatives.

In the Philippines’ school year 2017-2018, ANCOP’s Cornerstone was present in 215 partner schools. CFC ANCOP Australia funded five of these schools: four in Luzon and one in Mindanao. The schools are the:

  1. Francisco Mendoza Elementary School in Bulacan;
  2. Wawa Elementary School in Rizal;
  3.  Kabisig Elementary School in Metro Manila;
  4. Nagkakaisang Nayon Elementary School in Metro Manila; and the
  5. PN Roa Elementary School in Misamis Oriental in Mindanao.

Not all can go to colleges for various reasons. And not all skills are learned from formal colleges alone. ANCOP’s support for technical and vocational education or training provides or hones the skills and capabilities of those who are in the marginalised sectors of the society, so that they can become gainfully employed.

The benefits of focusing on TVET are the following:

- Shorter period of study or training;
- High demand due to ongoing public infrastructure projects;
- High paying and in-demand locally and abroad;
- Faster way to help family

The third program of ANCOP is Calamity and Disaster Response. The program focuses on the victims of the catastrophes and the immediate aid we can provide for them.

Members of the community and other parts of the world shares their efforts to uplift those who were devastated by the calamities. This is done through different interventions:

- Building of Transition houses
- Building of Permanent houses
- Medical Missions
- House Repair Kit
- Cash Assistance
- Relief Operations

The building of structures is classified as transition houses and permanent houses. The transition houses is our abrupt help where temporary shelter are given to the families. On the other hand, permanent houses are typhoon resilient shelters provided for the families to have a safer place to live in.

Permanent houses are present in Bogo, Cebu; Ormoc City, Leyte; Tacloban, Leyte; Palo, Leyte and Basey, Samar. Also, thirty transition houses were given to the families of Guiuan, Eastern Samar and fifty transition houses for the families in Cebu.

We also initiate medical missions to check the health of our beneficaries and provide kits for them. There are also medical projects partnered with different organizations.

Cash Assistance are also given to the people in order for them to avail other necessities needed in their everyday living.

We also do relief operations where people and volunteers work hand-in-hand in giving the basic needs of every individual including clothes, mats and blankets, foods and drinkable water, hygienic supplies and medicines.

Recently, ANCOP responded to the needs of those affected by typhoons Tisoy and Ursula in the Philippines and the Mindanao earthquake, and the people displaced by the Taal Volcano eruption. Currently, we are helping the poor families affected by the economic disruption due to the Covid pandemic.

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