12. Preliminary results of an ongoing study of poverty in the Maldives suggest that a large number of the inhabitants of the outer atolls are living in poverty. By promoting postsecondary education for students coming from the atolls, the Project will help them to participate more fully in the modern wage economy, especially in fields where there is a high demand, such as for secondary school teachers, nurses, mariners, and accountants. Strengthening the TIOL will also play a critical role in improving access to education, especially for those students living on the outer islands. As atoll students will more readily qualify for stipends, they will be less likely to experience financial hardship as school fees are increased.