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Dear friends and supporters of Tender,
Cycles of poverty are breaking, one diploma at a time. This year, seven students of Tender graduated from university! While each of them has a story to share, we want to spotlight the students who not only received scholarships from Tender but who also serve at Tender as interns or staff. By giving back to the community, every investment in their studies has immediately multiplied. God is good.One of our university graduates and intern teachers is Jlaiza. As a particularly shy, young child, she attended Tender's nutrition program. From there, she became a sponsor child and eventually an intern teacher at Tender. Teaching at our preschool, she developed her confidence in the field, guiding and inspiring children from the slums of Manila. This month, Jlaiza is now officially a university graduate with a Bachelor of Early Childhood Education.
(first pic - Jlaiza with her mother; second pic - Jlaiza with graduating classmates)
In her own words, this is Jlaiza's reflection on her journey and graduation from university:"If you told the shy, introverted, freshman me that she would actually survive university and be standing here today, she probably would have hidden in the back row and looked for the nearest exit. I spent so many days just trying to blend into the background, praying my professor wouldn't call on me, quietly navigating every overwhelming day, every heavy requirement, and the constant anxiety of just being an ordinary girl trying to find her way in a very loud world. But today is proof that you don’t have to be the loudest voice in the room to make it to the finish line. There is a quiet power in persistence, and surviving university as a textbook introvert is an achievement I am deeply and quietly proud of.
But as much as I took the quiet route, I know I didn’t walk this path alone. My heart is completely overflowing with gratitude for the beautiful village that carried me through when things felt too big to handle.
Above all, my deepest gratitude belongs to God. Thank You for being my constant peace when my anxiety grew too loud, and for giving me the quiet strength to keep going on the days I felt completely out of my depth. Your grace is the reason I am standing here today, and this milestone is all for Your glory.To my mom and my sister, you are my absolute rock and my safe haven. Thank you for your endless sacrifices, for understanding my quiet nature, and for believing in my potential even when I couldn't see it myself. Thank you for always providing a safe, warm space for me to come home to after exhausting days. I am who I am because of your unconditional love.
To my donor and sponsor, and to the wonderful family at IT Tender: thank you for believing in this average girl and investing in my future. Your generosity and the scholarship you provided didn't just ease a financial burden—it gave me the opportunity to achieve a dream that once felt entirely out of reach. Thank you for opening doors for me and for being a critical part of my journey.
To Teacher Cecille at Tender, who has been by my side through so many seasons of my life. You were my teacher when I was young, and now you are my classmate, my coworker, a dear friend, and truly like a second mom to me. Sharing this university and working journey with you has been one of my greatest blessings. Thank you for watching me grow, guiding me, and always being a constant source of comfort and strength.
I’m stepping back into my comfort zone now, but this time, I’m walking away with a degree in hand. Kept my head down, trusted the process, and we finally made it.
Officially a graduate!"- Jlaiza, Intern Teacher at Tender
In Jlaiza’s testimony above, she speaks about Teacher Cecille at Tender. Before Tender had a preschool, Cecille was a volunteer sharing Bible stories with children in Tender’s nutrition program. Jlaiza was one of those children.
Serving even when Tender was still a grassroots nonprofit with no budget yet for salaries, Cecille’s love for education grew. She wanted to shape young minds and lift up other kids living in poverty, just like her.
Today, Cecille is the head teacher of Tender’s preschool. And after years of studying while she worked at Tender, Cecille is now a university graduate too.
This is what Cecille had to say about graduating from the Philippine Christian University with a degree in education:
"As I reflect on this special milestone, my heart is filled with gratitude for God's faithfulness and grace.
As a working mother, and now a grandmother, there were many moments when the road felt long and challenging. Balancing family, work, and studies was not always easy, but God carried me through every obstacle and gave me the strength to keep going.
This achievement is a reminder that it is never too late to pursue your dreams. With faith, determination, and God's guidance, anything is possible.
I am deeply grateful to Tender, especially to our leader John Coffey, who believes in me. I'm thankful for my family, friends, teachers, and everyone who supported me along the way. Most of all, I give all glory and honor to God for making this milestone possible.
This diploma is more than a piece of paper, it is a testament to faith, resilience, and the power of never giving up.
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart." - Proverbs 3:5
To God be all the glory."
- Cecille, Head Preschool Teacher at Tender
Another intern at Tender had to overcome the odds to become a university graduate. Raised in severe poverty, Warren watched his father hustle on the streets selling bottled water just to keep the family fed. Warren first came to Tender's old drop-in center for food and showers. After joining the child sponsorship program, Warren worked incredibly hard to make his sponsor proud.In his high school years, Warren began serving at Tender as a caretaker for the drop-in center. Tender provided a bed and meals for Warren as he enjoyed serving and staying at the center. Warren learned how to drive (picking up and dropping off students for Tender) and developed an interested in all types of vehicles. Thanks to his determination and his sponsor's continued support, Warren pursued higher education and studied marine engineering in university. Aspiring to become a marine engineer and work directly on board ships as part of the crew, Warren knew marine engineers are the "unsung heroes below deck", responsible for keeping the vessel running.
Today, Warren is a university graduate with a Bachelor of Science in Marine Engineering. Let's read in his own words what that means to him:"Finding my place as the middle child meant charting a path to the ocean—becoming the first seafarer and the 'last card' to cross this finish line. I'm boundlessly grateful to my family, my friends, and professor. Your trust was the compass that brought me safely to this moment.
Finally! I used to just watch other people achieve this, but it turns out I could do it too. God really worked miracles in my life. Looking back, my university journey was never easy, especially balancing life as a working student (serving at Tender) and as the main breadwinner for our family. It took so many sleepless nights, pure exhaustion, and endless sacrifices. You really have to give it your all when you're chasing big dreams. Now, I can confidently say, "Thank you, Lord," because I never could have done this alone without His guidance, and without the help of the amazing people He sent to support me along the way.
To the entire Tender staff, John Coffey, Jizza Malquisto, Cecille De Jesus Napao, Jonalyn Rivera, Gabriel Malquisto, and donors, thank you from the bottom of my heart. Because of your support for my education, I was able to push through and keep moving forward. Thank you all so much for taking care of me at work and standing by me in my studies. To my parents, Ma and Pa, thank you both so much, because there would be no Warren today without you! I know our family's situation has been incredibly tough—living in a tiny house, squeezing seven children inside, right next to a smelly canal filled with trash. Still, I am so grateful that you brought us into this world and became our parents. Our family might not be perfect, but I still feel so blessed that God gave you to us.
To my professors, especially Chief Engineer Thomas Diaz, you were a massive help to us. Thank you for teaching us not just about our schoolwork, but about the realities of life—especially what it's really like out on a ship. We know we still have a long way to go, but because of your advice, we are even more driven to face the waves. Salute to you, Sir!
Thank you to everyone who never stopped believing in me and supporting me. And to Kuya Gabriel Malquisto, thank you for being there at my graduation. You're truly the best! Since Senior High, you've been my substitute "Erpat" (aka. dad), haha!
To my friends out there, you know exactly who you are. Thank you to all of you. If they can do it, we can definitely do it too!
To my fellow classmates and cadets, thank you for all the memories we shared. Congratulations to us all! My only prayer now is for God to keep guiding us as we start our journey at sea.
This is living proof that God works in every single one of our lives.
To God be all the glory!"- Warren, Intern Teacher at TenderThe Tender Team also wants to congratulate Louie Jay, a former sponsor child and now board member of Tender. He graduated from university after studying criminology, and this month Louie Jay received the news that he passed the National Police Commission's exam for those who wish to join the Philippine National Police. We are very proud of this young man's accomplishments and of the ways he continues to serve and give back to the community at Tender.
The future is bright for these graduates of Tender. These are the leaders of the next generation, and they inspire other Filipinos to overcome their poverty and struggles through opportunities in education.If you are interested in sponsoring a child from extreme poverty in the Philippines for just $1.25/day ($37.50/month), please email John Coffey at johndlcoffey@gmail.com for more information and for the full profile of your potential sponsor child. We still have a handful of children on a waiting list at Tender in need of a sponsor to be able to go to school.At the close of the last school year, 96% of all sponsored children at Tender successfully progressed to the next grade or graduated. 73.5% of the students in our after-school program showed significant grade improvements in English and mathematics. We are deeply encouraged by the results, but the work is just beginning. We pray that more and more children from the slums can have the opportunity to go to school thanks to child sponsorship.Check out this new video below all about Tender, our new educational center, and why we are committed to empowering the poor in Manila.
The next chapter of Tender(click here to watch, if the video above won't play)
Thank you for following along with us and for supporting our programs and students! Please check out the current prayers and praises of our team here below.- The Tender Team
