Education is the basis for all change. Without education, change is impossible. The students who get support for their school are in no way worse off than others who don't get help, even if their studies don't help them get a good job.

Practically I believe the individual outcome will be of two kinds: a student will use their schooling to help their village, start a business and bring a small amount of improvement. Or they will leave the area and find work elsewhere. Neither is unsustainable. The worst outcome would be if everyone leaves and the village dies out. Could that happen? Maybe. But I think it is unlikely. Or at least, I think that education is unlikely going to be a major factor, because even without education people from villages move to cities to seek their fortune.

And while this is pure speculation, I'd like to believe that people with education are more likely to stay because thanks to ubiquitous internet they have more opportunities to use that education to their advantage even from their remote location.

Systematic change will happen when more people with better education move into the ranks of government or business where they can affect such change.

Btw: when I talk about education I don't just mean STEM. I also mean ethics or moral education to teach people that contributing to society is important. Sponsoring students does not achieve that on its own, but it's something others are working on, and these students tend to be grateful for the help they get that they also get the message in a way and are motivated to pay it forward.