THE SOCIAL arm of the Archdiocese of Manila, Caritas Manila, has opened its Youth Servant Leadership and Education Program or YSLEP telethon to raise funds that will help send less fortunate students to school.

Caritas Manila executive director Fr. Anton Pascual said the fundraising event will be held July 15 over the 846 AM station in Quezon City from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.

This year’s theme of the YSLEP telethon 2024 is ‘Empowering Youth Servant Leaders: Guided by Service, Inspired by Purpose’ and will be dedicated to the continued education of its scholars.

“Investing in a brighter future is empowering the youth of today as servant leaders which involves guiding them to lead by serving others, with a strong sense of purpose and dedication to their community,” Pascual said.

“It requires a collective effort from individuals, businesses, governments, and non-profit organizations. By prioritizing our poor youth’s education, we can build a better country where everyone thrives including our poor communities,” he added.

Based on record, the program has helped 1,270 students and graduates during the 2023-2024 school year.

At present, there are over 5,000 YSLEP scholars in different parts of the country, both Muslims and Christians.

“Your support can make a significant difference in the lives of poor young people, helping them realize their potential and contribute meaningfully to society,” Pascual said.

YSLEP is an integrated academic and leadership development program designed to provide an environment for scholastic excellence, reinforced with leadership and values formation, to empower and give its beneficiaries not just financial assistance for education but reinforce it with Christian values.