Habele
Encyclopedia
The Habele Outer Island Education Fund (or simply “Habele”) is a small South Carolina–based charitable organization
serving the low-lying atolls of Yap State
and Chuuk State
in the Federated States of Micronesia
. Habele serves the islands of Ulithi
, Woleai
, and Satawal
, Eauripik
, Ifalik
, and Lamotrek
in Yap State as well as islands throughout Chuuk
state.
volunteers who served in Micronesia, and it received IRS nonprofit status in September 2006. It has grown steadily since then. In the first year of operation $2,890 in scholarships were awarded. Scholarships for 2007-08 exceeded $3,500. The issuance of scholarships in 2008-09, exceeding $5,000, was described by the Peace Corps Micornesia Country Director as "particularly important" for expanding education opportunities because students living outside Micronesia's four state capitals have very limited access to formal education options. A total of 21 scholarships were issued for the 2010-11 school year. The charity has no paid employees.
South Carolina State Senators Glenn McConnell and Robert Ford
of Charleston
, South Carolina
drew attention to Habele, when the charity announced $7,500 in scholarships for sixteen elementary and high school students in 2009. Louis J. Rama, a senior consul at the Federated States of Micronesia
Consulate on Guam
, called for the expansion of this and other programs supporting low-income students through tuition assistance.
The donor-financed tuition payments awarded by Habele are a form of private vouchers. Unlike public school vouchers, private vouchers are not funded by the government. The use of private vouchers for low-income students has been described as a tool for facilitating education reform
without becoming immersed in politics.
and Fais
. The authors' stated aim was to create a consistent and intuitive pattern of Roman alphabet spelling useful for native Ulithian and native English speakers.
Charitable organization
A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization . It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization (NPO). It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A...
serving the low-lying atolls of Yap State
Yap
Yap, also known as Wa'ab by locals, is an island in the Caroline Islands of the western Pacific Ocean. It is a state of the Federated States of Micronesia. Yap's indigenous cultures and traditions are still strong compared to other neighboring islands. The island of Yap actually consists of four...
and Chuuk State
Chuuk
Chuuk — formerly Truk, Ruk, Hogoleu, Torres, Ugulat, and Lugulus — is an island group in the south western part of the Pacific Ocean. It comprises one of the four states of the Federated States of Micronesia , along with Kosrae, Pohnpei, and Yap. Chuuk is the most populous of the FSM's...
in the Federated States of Micronesia
Federated States of Micronesia
The Federated States of Micronesia or FSM is an independent, sovereign island nation, made up of four states from west to east: Yap, Chuuk, Pohnpei and Kosrae. It comprises approximately 607 islands with c...
. Habele serves the islands of Ulithi
Ulithi
Ulithi is an atoll in the Caroline Islands of the western Pacific Ocean, about 191 km east of Yap. It consists of 40 islets totalling , surrounding a lagoon about long and up to wide—at one of the largest in the world. It is administered by the state of Yap in the Federated States of...
, Woleai
Woleai
Woleai is a coral atoll of twenty-two islands in the eastern Caroline Islands in the Pacific Ocean, and forms a legislative district in Yap State in the Federated States of Micronesia and is located approximately west-northwest of Ifalik and northeast of Eauripik...
, and Satawal
Satawal
Satawal is a solitary coral atoll of one island located at in the Caroline Islands in the Pacific Ocean, and forms a legislative district in Yap State in the Federated States of Micronesia...
, Eauripik
Eauripik
Eauripik Island is a coral atoll of three islands in the western Caroline Islands in the Pacific Ocean, and forms a legislative district in Yap State in the Federated States of Micronesia....
, Ifalik
Ifalik
Ifalik is a coral atoll of four islands in the central Caroline Islands in the Pacific Ocean, and forms a legislative district in Yap State in the Federated States of Micronesia. Ifalik is located approximately east of Woleai and southeast of the island of Yap. The population of Ifalik was 561...
, and Lamotrek
Lamotrek
Lamotrek is a coral atoll of three islands in the central Caroline Islands in the Pacific Ocean, and forms a legislative district in Yap State in the Federated States of Micronesia. Sorol is located approximately east of Elato....
in Yap State as well as islands throughout Chuuk
Chuuk
Chuuk — formerly Truk, Ruk, Hogoleu, Torres, Ugulat, and Lugulus — is an island group in the south western part of the Pacific Ocean. It comprises one of the four states of the Federated States of Micronesia , along with Kosrae, Pohnpei, and Yap. Chuuk is the most populous of the FSM's...
state.
Background
According to a 2006 annual report, the organization was founded by a group of former Peace CorpsPeace Corps
The Peace Corps is an American volunteer program run by the United States Government, as well as a government agency of the same name. The mission of the Peace Corps includes three goals: providing technical assistance, helping people outside the United States to understand US culture, and helping...
volunteers who served in Micronesia, and it received IRS nonprofit status in September 2006. It has grown steadily since then. In the first year of operation $2,890 in scholarships were awarded. Scholarships for 2007-08 exceeded $3,500. The issuance of scholarships in 2008-09, exceeding $5,000, was described by the Peace Corps Micornesia Country Director as "particularly important" for expanding education opportunities because students living outside Micronesia's four state capitals have very limited access to formal education options. A total of 21 scholarships were issued for the 2010-11 school year. The charity has no paid employees.
Student scholarships
The fund awards scholarships to students attending primary and secondary private schools and provides material donations to small public schools. Donations generally consist of books, school supplies, and basic clothing items. Habele has played a major role in the creation of libraries on the isolated atolls of Ulithi and Eauripik.South Carolina State Senators Glenn McConnell and Robert Ford
Robert Ford
Robert Ford may refer to:*Robert Ford , the man who killed Jesse James*Robert Ford , poet and Canadian diplomat*Robert Ford , member of the South Carolina Senate...
of Charleston
Charleston, South Carolina
Charleston is the second largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. It was made the county seat of Charleston County in 1901 when Charleston County was founded. The city's original name was Charles Towne in 1670, and it moved to its present location from a location on the west bank of the...
, South Carolina
South Carolina
South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
drew attention to Habele, when the charity announced $7,500 in scholarships for sixteen elementary and high school students in 2009. Louis J. Rama, a senior consul at the Federated States of Micronesia
Federated States of Micronesia
The Federated States of Micronesia or FSM is an independent, sovereign island nation, made up of four states from west to east: Yap, Chuuk, Pohnpei and Kosrae. It comprises approximately 607 islands with c...
Consulate on Guam
Guam
Guam is an organized, unincorporated territory of the United States located in the western Pacific Ocean. It is one of five U.S. territories with an established civilian government. Guam is listed as one of 16 Non-Self-Governing Territories by the Special Committee on Decolonization of the United...
, called for the expansion of this and other programs supporting low-income students through tuition assistance.
The donor-financed tuition payments awarded by Habele are a form of private vouchers. Unlike public school vouchers, private vouchers are not funded by the government. The use of private vouchers for low-income students has been described as a tool for facilitating education reform
Education reform
Education reform is the process of improving public education. Small improvements in education theoretically have large social returns, in health, wealth and well-being. Historically, reforms have taken different forms because the motivations of reformers have differed.A continuing motivation has...
without becoming immersed in politics.
Language
Early in 2010, Habele announced plans to develop and distribute native language materials for educators and students in the outer islands of Yap State, Micronesia. The initial project was a Ulithian to English dictionary. This was the first rigorous documentation of the Ulithian language and copies were provided to educators and students throughout UlithiUlithi
Ulithi is an atoll in the Caroline Islands of the western Pacific Ocean, about 191 km east of Yap. It consists of 40 islets totalling , surrounding a lagoon about long and up to wide—at one of the largest in the world. It is administered by the state of Yap in the Federated States of...
and Fais
Fais Island
Fais Island is a raised coral island in the eastern Caroline Islands in the Pacific Ocean, and forms a legislative district in Yap State in the Federated States of Micronesia...
. The authors' stated aim was to create a consistent and intuitive pattern of Roman alphabet spelling useful for native Ulithian and native English speakers.