Education is the key to a brighter future for disadvantaged and vulnerable young women.

Thanks to generous donations to the Sydney Women’s Fund Future Change Maker Scholarships Program, we can help ease the financial and mental load for promising young students who might not otherwise continue their education and reach their full potential.

Every $20,000 scholarship you fund doesn’t just change one life; it changes two. Thanks to our partnership with the Harding Miller Education Foundation (HMEF), your donation is matched, allowing us to sponsor two students for four critical years, from years 9 to 12.

In 2023, your support paved the way for 15 remarkable young girls and women to receive life-changing scholarships. These students are exceptional, not just academically but in their determination to rise above adversity.

They come from families struggling in low socio-economic circumstances, where putting food on the table is a daily challenge, let alone providing a new computer for their daughters’ education. For some students, access to technology is limited either because they cannot afford a computer or because they need to share a device with other family members.

Making a difference

“Having some financial help will make a huge difference to relieve some of the pressure and stress mum has. I love school and am always striving to achieve my personal best. I have a strong aspiration to attend university and become a vet,” – Emmie, Year 9.

These scholarships are more than just financial assistance; they encompass a lifeline of support. Awarded to high potential girls in public schools experiencing socio-economic disadvantage, each scholarship includes a laptop, high-speed mobile broadband, IT support, tutoring, unlimited online homework help, gift cards for school expenses and a personal coach to support them.

“The HMEF scholarship has been enormously helpful over the past two years for my schooling life. I use the laptop almost every day. The pre-paid Mastercard has allowed me to buy school necessities such as stationery, books, uniform, excursions and a printer for our home,” – Maxine, Year 11.

Of the new students awarded a Harding Miller Education Foundation scholarship in 2022, 19 per cent were First Nations girls and 31 per cent of the scholarships are based in rural and regional Australia.

Eight per cent of scholars have experienced or are experiencing out of home care (foster care) and 10 per cent have a refugee background, from a total of 43 per cent of the students who come from a family with non-English speaking background.

Your support, through providing these students with their own computers, educational tools and resources, is leveling the playing field. It’s giving these young women the chance to thrive and flourish, just like their more socio-economically advantaged peers.

If you would like to fund a SWF Changemaker Scholarship, get in touch with our team at enquiries@sydcf.org.au