The document describes the Higher Education Fund scheme launched by Infant Jesus Church in Jogeshwari-East to help poor families pay for their children's higher education. The scheme was started in 2016 after the parish priest noticed many families struggling to afford engineering and other degrees. An initial amount of over 10 lacs was collected from parishioners and donors. Under the scheme, eligible students receive partial or full funding for fees and pay it back in installments, helping families avoid expensive loans. The sustainable model aims to eventually become self-funded through donations and repayments.

1. FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
(FAQs) ON INFANT JESUS CHURCH,
JOGESHWARI-EAST
‘HIGHER EDUCATION FUND SCHEME’.
Note: In responding to the needs of our parish, a HIGHER EDUCATION
FUND SCHEME has became operational from the academic year 2016-17.
Further details about this scheme are given in the form of FAQs.
Fr Felix
1] What made you to start the higher educationfund scheme?
In July, 2015, during my first year at Infant Jesus church, Jogeshwari, a student, son of
our schoolpeon approached me for some financial help from the church for his second
year engineering. As the family has meager income, it was difficult for that family to pay
the full fees. So Church helped whatever it could, but that was not sufficient. Later on I
was given to understand that, that family borrowed the balance amount from a private
moneylender at the rate of 2% monthly interest (24% p.a.). When I shared this incident
with some of the parishioners, I was told that this is the common practice amongst poor
families of this parish.
2] Were such families were helped by the parish in the past before launching this
scheme?
Yes, a few have been helped here and there in a small way. But there wasn’t a permanent
scheme like ‘Higher Education Fund’.
3] What concrete steps youtook to launch the ‘Higher Education’ scheme?
As a first step, suggestions were asked from some of the individuals and parish groups.
One of the suggestions proposed was to start an ‘Higher Education Fund.” This fund can
be started by appealing help from parishioners and other donors. During the first year
(2015-16) it was decided to send appeals and create a fund, and from the second year
(2016-17), to start disbursing help to the higher education for the poor students.
4] How was the response from the parishioners and other donors?
An appeal newsletter “Helping Hands” was sent to all the parish families and prospective
donors outside the parish explaining why our parish needs a scheme like ‘Higher
Education Fund”. There was an encouraging responsefrom the donors. An amount of
more than 10 lacs was collected in the first year itself.
5] Was this amount depositedin a separate accountor in the parish account?
To avoid multiplying account heads, the amount was deposited in the usual ‘Infant Jesus
Trust a/c’. However, to keep a track of this scheme, separate register is being maintained.
6] What are the eligibility criteria to sanctionhelp to poor students?

2. There are students whose parents have ordinary jobs who manage their routine expenses.
But when it comes to higher education, they find it difficult as they do not have enough
savings. Due to this, they hesitate to admit their children for higher education even if
their children perform well in their academic career. Such students/families are eligible to
apply for ‘Higher education help”.
7] During the first year of operationof this fund, students from which streams of
higher educationwere helped?
In the first academic year (2016-17), five students were helped by paying their part or full
fee of higher education courses like Engineering, Hotel Management, Nursing, DEd etc.
amounting to about 60,000/- up to a lac each.
8] How does this scheme works?
After confirming their admission for that particular course, the student approaches the
parish priest. As most of the students/families are known, there is no need of too much
probing about the financial situation of the family. Then the student fills a simple form
with necessary details. Whatever the amount family can afford to pay, they promise to
pay. The balance amount - full or part of the fees is paid by the church from the “Higher
Education Fund”.
9] Is this amount is given as refundable or non-refundable help?
As said earlier, some of the families can manage to pay the fees if it is small. But when it
comes to big amounts like a lac or two, they find it difficult to pay at one go. Therefore,
“Higher Education Fund” helps them in their immediate need. The student/family gives a
simple undertaking that, they will refund this amount in small installments in the form of
donations. By the end of the year, they may have cleared the full amount.
10] How does the family benefits?
As mentioned before, the “Higher Education Fund” helps for the immediate need of the
family. So the family is happy that, they could get a kind of interest free loan without any
hassles, besides saving a lot from paying interest if they had to borrowthis amount from
the banks or private lenders.
11] Does this method is sustainable or a short term arrangement?
This refundable method of helping the poorstudents is sustainable and permanent.
Imagine, if 5 students who got help of 1 lac each. They will refund about 8000/- monthly.
At the end of the year the refund total amount will be about 5 lacs
(8000x5=40,000x12=4,80,000). Every year, the number of students seeking help may
increase, so also refund. Meantime, after seeing this good work more and more donors
may come forward to help for this noble cause. Thus this fund will gradually become not
only self-sustainable, but also can help more and more poorstudents in their higher
education.
12] Do you think all the beneficiaries would prompt and honest in refunding the
help given to them?
This question is surely relevant. However a lot depends on the trust. St Teresa of
Kolkotta’s famous quote can very much applied in this case. “If we judge people, you
have no time to love them”. Therefore, in good faith, church lends. I am sure, as a sign of
gratitude, the students will be prompt and honest in refunding the amount they received
from the church. Perhaps, they may even be the generous benefactors of this fund when
they start earning.

3. 13] Has this project has the approval of the church higher authorities, Cardinal,
Bishops etc?
As this project is part of the objectives of the trust, there is no
need of any special approval. However, in responseto the
HELPING HANDS Newsletter on this project, Cardinal Oswald
Gracias has written his encouraging words. I quote - “in the last
issue of the HELPING HANDS bulletin, I was delighted to
read about the parish helping five deserving students for
higher education. I was very happy with this initiative.
Congratulations!Keep it up!” (Cardinal Oswald’s letter
addressed to me dated October28, 2016).
READ THE APPEAL SENT TO PARISHIONERS AND OTHER
DONORS IN THE NEWSLETTER HELPING HANDS Vol. 1 and Vol.
2 IN OUR WEBSITE.
14] Do you think this kind scheme is feasible in other parishes?
I believe that, when we take up any project for poor and marginalised, people always support it
because they firmly believe in the words of Jesus 'Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of
the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.' (Mattew 25:40). I feel ifwe can
build new churches and other institutions spending in some crores, will not parishes be
able to raise a few lacs for this noble cause?
I would like to conclude with the following quote of Pope Francis.