Archive for category: Education

Information and stories on education.

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Child Poverty in Bosnia and Herzegovina

Child Poverty in Bosnia and HerzegovinaChildren within Bosnia and Herzegovina are some of the most vulnerable in Europe as years of occupation and civil war have left a fractured society. The unraveling of the state of Yugoslavia meant leaders using Serbian ethno-nationalism rose to power across the region. After years of conflict and the ethnic cleansing of Bosniak Muslim men and women, the 1995 Dayton Peace Agreement was signed. While it did mean a physical end to the conflict, the country struggled to pull itself out of the dark shadow of war.

Not only did the socio-economic conditions of post-war Bosnia make development difficult, the country’s high exposure to floods, landslides, earthquakes and wildfires posed serious problems. Twenty percent of Bosnia is susceptible to floods, which can severely impact infrastructure and leave thousands homeless.

The Rise of Child Poverty in Bosnia and Herzegovina 

According to UNICEF, almost all children under the age of four are deprived of at least one dimension of multidimensional poverty. Child poverty in Bosnia and Herzegovina is rising at alarming rates. In 2011, 30.6% of children lived in poverty, compared to 23.4% of the total population. The right to education is not standardized within the country, and due to the practical division of the nation, there are numerous cases of discrimination against students based on their origin.

The Impact of Child Poverty on Education

 The lack of education perpetuates a vicious cycle of child poverty in Bosnia and Herzegovina as the intergenerational poverty transfer is a stark reminder of the need to improve education provisions for all children within the country. Children, adolescents and the rural population are the most affected by poverty within the country and children of ethnic minorities, including the Romani, face increased adversity due to heightened discrimination. 

Romani Communities and Poverty

During the war, Romani families had to leave their homes and rarely recovered their houses. Even today, much of the Roma community lives in incredibly harsh conditions and often in extreme poverty. Generally, the education levels for Romani children, and girls in particular, are weak. A report from the European Commission in 2020 found that ethnic discrimination against the Roma community is evident in the provision of services like housing, health care, education and employment. Numerous children are victims of trafficking, mainly young girls and adolescents, who are targets of prostitution rings. These networks kidnap or, less often, pay the parents to take advantage of young girls in Bosnia, in the Balkans region and throughout Europe. However, work by the government and NGOs within the country is being maintained to prevent child trafficking.

 Government Support for Poverty

The government implemented the 2020-2023 national strategy, and the State Coordinator produced an annual progress report and coordinated meetings with international organizations and local NGOs. The government has continuously funded these NGOs as they have begun to increasingly involve law enforcement and social workers in potential cases of child trafficking. In cooperation with NGO-run shelters, the government provided accommodation, psycho-social support, medical assistance, food and hygiene and legal assistance.

The government is making strides in eliminating the worst forms of child labor in the country. The Council of Ministers approved the National Action Plan for the Social Inclusion of Roma, which aims to improve education access for Roma children. In addition, the Anti-Trafficking Strike Force expanded its membership to include representatives from outside agencies.

World Vision and UNICEF Assisting with Child Rights 

World Vision is another organization that aims to improve child rights in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It works to improve overall coordination and collaborative action between the government and civil society, as well as improve efforts to remove all barriers present in children’s lives within the country. Its goal is to amplify the voices of young people in the state, which, in turn, empowers them to seek change.

UNICEF is another critical player as their public information campaigns regarding improving child education and early health care reached more than 1.6 million people. During the COVID-19 pandemic, they educated 2,294 parents about the importance of child immunizations and worked on air pollution programs through youth activism to encourage discussions with local authorities about preventing respiratory illnesses seen in children.

The work of developmental organizations within Bosnia and Herzegovina is vital in ensuring increased provisions to reduce child poverty in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

– Maryam Rana
Photo: Flickr

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Reducing Poverty Through Technological Development

Technological DevelopmentIn a world increasingly reliant on science and technology, lack of access is a significant concern for those living in poverty. To help develop those regions suffering from lack of development, there needs to be a greater push for education in these fields, as well as greater access to technology itself.

This is where the UN Technology Bank comes in, a global organization that is “dedicated to enhancing the contribution of science, technology and innovation for sustainable development in the world’s least developed countries.” In essence, this branch of the UN works to eradicate global poverty and inequality through technological development.

Between 1820 and 2002, the level of global inequality rose to 85%, mainly due to technological growth in certain countries. Despite the necessity of modern technology for modern economies to thrive, many developing countries need to catch up in its adoption, with a 2016 Pew survey finding only 54% of the population in 29 emerging countries could access the internet while only 37% owned a smartphone. However, now is the perfect time for developing countries to not only catch up on technological development but also get ahead on emerging sectors such as green technology, a potentially $9.5 trillion industry. Thankfully, the UN Technology Bank is here to help them achieve their goals.

The First Few Years

Headquartered in Gebze, Turkey, the organization was officially launched in 2018. However, its roots go back several years earlier. In 2011, the UN adopted the Istanbul Programme of Action for Least Developed Countries, which explicitly called for an organization to facilitate technological development in impoverished nations.

The UN laid the foundations for the organization after its leaders recognized that science and technology play a paramount role in lifting least developed countries out of poverty. In doing research for the Istanbul Programme, it found that LDCs needed “forward-looking science, technology and innovation policy frameworks to upgrade and align the skills base with market requirements,” which are vital in spurring economic development in these nations where around 30% of working people on average live below the poverty line.

The Tech Bank also aims to further the UN Sustainable Development Agenda for 2030. This set of 17 goals, adopted in 2015, serves as a blueprint for global development. Among its major aims is eliminating poverty and hunger.

During its first three years, the Tech Bank focused on building partnerships at the national and international level. In addition, it also examined the current state of science and technology in least-developed countries to determine how to establish innovation networks and begin technology transfer.

In a 2018 interview, Technology Bank Council Member Bitrina Diyamett explained why the UN is trying to help LDCs. “The bank starts from the premise that these countries are poor – to a large extent – because they lack capabilities in science, technology and innovation. Therefore, based on the UN principle of “leaving no one behind” in sustainable development, there is no other alternative to achieving the Agenda but by building such capabilities.”

The Work

Since its founding, the Technology Bank has worked on several projects and activities in least-developed countries around the globe.

With this work, it hopes to help these countries achieve several important sustainable development goals. Chief among these goals is economic self-reliance. As least-developed nations acquire new technology and the skills necessary to support it, they will then have the ability to grow their market considerably and lift people out of poverty. Other important goals include sustainable access to health technologies, sustainable industrialization, education and academic cooperation.

Once the Technology Bank decides which country to work with, it takes a four-step approach to help them achieve their goals. The first and arguably most crucial step is beginning the Technology Needs Assessment. Here, Tech Bank researchers identify essential technological development needs, understand the key challenges to that development and create an action plan to achieve greater technical capacity.

At the same time, it begins working on technology transfers. As the name implies, workers and researchers try to facilitate the transfer of essential technology to the countries in which they operate. An example of this may be the building of eco-friendly and affordable shelters or the creation of technology labs to educate young people with the skills necessary to build, operate and maintain using modern science and technology.

Finally, the Tech Bank works on the country’s policy and capacity development and forming strategic partnerships and advocacy. In this final step, the focus is on creating and advocating for national policies that support the capacity for science and technology while forming strategic partnerships with other nations and organizations.

Current Results and Future Outlook

The UN Tech Bank has assisted development in 11 different countries with ongoing projects in four more, including Bangladesh and Benin. Its ultimate goal is to utilize science and technology to help develop the 46 least developed nations.

In March 2022, Tech Bank leader Taffere Tesfachew called on all countries to help those living in the least developed ones. While thanking Turkey for its continued support for the Tech Bank, he stated he was “Hoping other countries would join, like China, also advanced countries like Germany.” And though only the future can tell how successful the Tech Bank will be, thus far, its efforts have proved fruitful, and if other countries answer the call, it is sure to achieve its mission of lifting the most vulnerable out of poverty.

– Jonathon Crecelius
Photo: Flickr

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Education for Native Hawaiians

Education for Native Hawaiians 
Indigenous Hawaiians face a history of educational disparities. According to the 2019 U.S. Census Bureau, only 10.6% of Native Hawaiians or part-Hawaiians earn an associate degree or higher. Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander students only made up 0.3% of all associate degrees. Social factors such as homelessness, substance abuse, degradation of cultural values and the government not funding education for Native Hawaiians can explain the educational disparities. Different legislations and NGOs have taken action which recognize the unique need for education for Native Hawaiians.

Native Hawaiian Education Act

In 1981, the Office of Education submitted a comprehensive report, stating that Hawaiians score below parity in education, directly related to cultural factors. The passing of the Native Hawaiian Education Act in 1988 was a piece of legislation that was the start of recognizing the unique educational needs that Native Hawaiians require. The purpose of the Native Hawaiian Education Act is to develop and expand on various educational programs that aim to assist education for Native Hawaiians. These programs include early educational care, beginning literacy programs and professional development for educators. These programs focus on the idea that Native Hawaiians are a unique cultural group that requires a culturally appropriate curriculum to thrive. 

Due to the Native Hawaiian Education Act, Congress has consistently provided funding to address the educational gap between Native Hawaiians and other racial groups. In 2020, only 35% of Native Hawaiians enrolled in college upon graduation. The Native Hawaiian Education Act provides scholarship and college transition opportunities. 

Native Hawaiian Education Council

Recognizing that education for Native Hawaiians requires more support, the act called for the establishment of a council in 1994, known as the Native Hawaiian Education Council. The purpose of the Native Hawaiian Education Council is to “coordinate the educational and related services and programs available to Native Hawaiians, … assess the extent to which such services and programs meet the needs of Native Hawaiians; and provide direction and guidance, through the issuance of reports and recommendation, to appropriate Federal, State and local agencies in order to focus and improve the use of resources… on Native Hawaiian education.” In 2022, the council was able to give funding for Hawaiian language instruction, a cultural-based curriculum and address mental health needs for Native Hawaiian students. 

Lumina Foundation Donates to the University of Hawai’i

Only 10.6% of Native Hawaiians over the age of 25 have earned an associate’s degree. To aid the effort to provide education for Hawaiians, the Lumina Foundation donated $575,000 to the University of Hawai’i in 2022. Lumina Foundation announced that the funding was dedicated to increasing the share of Native Hawaiians, Pacific Islanders and Filipinos earning college credentials in Hawaii. The University of Hawai’i is set to raise attainment rates by 5% for these ethnic minorities in the next four years. The university will also use part of the funding to expand professional development to professors so they are capable of teaching Native Hawaiians, Pacific Islanders and Filipinos in a culturally inclusive way. 

– Yana Gupta
Photo: Flickr

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The Mona Foundation: Education and Opportunities for Women

The Mona FoundationEducation is a proven pathway out of poverty, which is why several organizations center their missions around helping disadvantaged children attain access to quality education. The Mona Foundation is one of many organizations that realize the value of education as a tool for poverty reduction. This work is essential considering that after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, more than 700 million people lived in extreme poverty in 2020.

The Mona Foundation

The Mona Foundation is an organization that believes “Education is key to alleviating poverty, hunger, inequality, and most other social ills.” The Mona Foundation supports grassroots organizations worldwide in their efforts to educate children, focusing on empowering girls and women to transform communities. The president and founder of the organization, Mahnaz Aflatooni Javid, is based out of the United States. The Mona Foundation has operated since 1999 and has donated over $17 million to its 53 partner organizations. The foundation has the support of famous American celebrity Rainn Wilson or Dwight Schrute from the American version of the series “The Office”. The story of Mona Mahmudnizhad, a young Iranian female human rights activist, inspired the organization’s name. Mona was arrested by Iranian authorities in 1983 for her outspoken nature and support for fundamental human rights and for being a member of the minority Baháʼí faith. Nine months later, at the age of 17, she was executed.

Arriba Las Manos

One of the education organizations the Mona Foundation supports is the Arriba Las Manos organization based out of Colombia. Arabia Las Manos allows children to access educational tools like toys, Legos and other things. According to the OECD, 37% of Columbian adults aged 25-64 who attended school up to upper secondary school earned less than half the average earnings in 2019. Hence, education at an early age is so important. Both organizations work to increase access to education.

The focus on education, and girls’ education in particular, is essential, considering that more than 100 million girls are out of school worldwide, according to UNICEF. Access to education can provide girls and women with the skills and knowledge required to rise out of poverty, uplift their families and empower their communities. With girls and women being a marginalized group, it is vital for all humanitarian efforts to keep girls and women at the center of their aid efforts. 

 A report was published in 2020 by the ERIC Institute on Education Sciences on education development in the Huaping Girls High School in Yunnan Province in China. Establishing the High School itself was a way to help the women living there leave one of the poorest areas in the Yunnan Province. By providing girls from that area in extreme poverty a chance to get an easily accessible education, over 1,800 girls from that school attended universities across China, helping them realize their dreams of getting out of poverty and into the world. Giving these struggling women opportunities to thrive and lift themselves out of poverty through education helped them leave one of the poorest regions in China. The School shows that giving access to education to those who otherwise would not have it can lead to success. In this case, women end up at university, thus underscoring the importance of education access to ending poverty.

Women’s Empowerment

The Mona Foundation’s efforts have had a significant impact so far. The organization’s sponsorship programs in 2023 have supported over 2,000 children. Its teacher training programs in 2022 trained over 8,000 teachers and its women’s empowerment program teaches women to think critically about their upbringing and develop skills to help them lift themselves out of poverty. In 2022, over 100,000 girls were empowered through the Mona Foundation. This organization has a significant impact on women and children in need. 

The Mona Foundation has helped many people through its programs and partnerships. Through sponsorships and teaching drills to partnering with organizations that share their values and goals, this organization plays an essential role in the fight against poverty.

– Calder Miller
Photo: Flickr

Conservation project in Namibia helps fight rural poverty 

Rural Poverty in NamibiaA conservation project in Namibia, sub-Saharan Africa, is actively fighting rural poverty alongside preserving important wildlife species and ecosystems. Indeed, the N/a’ankuse Wildlife Sanctuary, located around 50 kilometers west of the country’s capital, Windhoek, has identified the benefit of a holistic approach to the improvement of wildlife and human populations.

Namibia was the first country to enshrine the protection of the environment into its constitution, making it a suitable home for the conservation project. Recognizing that effective conservation comprises the ‘preservation of natural habitats, the well-being of wildlife and the empowerment of local communities,’ the N/a’ankuse Foundation targets the reduction of species endangerment whilst fighting the rural poverty that the local San community is facing. As indigenous descendants of the oldest inhabitants of Southern and Eastern Africa, the San have suffered years of ostracism, violence and even genocide, and are subject to the worst effects of the country’s poverty and the HIV/AIDS epidemic.

Health Care Efforts

Through both donations and the project’s flourishing volunteering program, N/a’ankuse has funded the Lifeline Clinic, whose main focus is tackling the poor health outcomes for the San community. Members of the community benefit from annual medical care through clinic-based health care and outreach programs, aided by a 4×4 ambulance, which is helping to combat the persistent discrimination in service provision toward the San as well as their geographic isolation. Bi-weekly nutritional support programs, attended by up to 120 people, provide emergency malnutrition aid as well as education and information regarding health and dietary requirements.  

Education

The project has further recognized the importance of education in the fight against rural poverty. An estimated 55.6% of the San population have never received a formal education due to marginalization within public schools, widespread bullying, poor exam results and the giving up of schooling entirely. Yet the N/a’ankuse primary school, established in 2009, directly challenges these barriers to education and the subsequent high illiteracy levels within the community. Recently, Namibia’s Petroleum Training and Education Fund (PETROFUND) provided members of the primary school with the opportunity to attend St. Boniface College in 2024, one of the country’s most acclaimed schools, through the provision of tuition and boarding fees.

The project’s conservation efforts revolve around a holistic approach to both the environment and human life. The primary school creates a safe and welcoming environment for San children, fostering a deep respect for local wildlife. This not only enhances educational outcomes for the children but also encourages the local community to participate in preserving their environment.

The school inspires its students to maintain their vegetable gardens and educates them about conservation efforts. Simultaneously, local community members are employed to support activities like beach clean-ups, anti-poaching initiatives and environmental sustainability projects. In 2020, an agricultural program was established to reinforce nutritional support by providing fresh fruits and vegetables. It also offers training and job opportunities in agricultural and hydroponic techniques for the community.

Such training is essential for the continuity of sustainable farming, ensuring a steady supply of fresh local produce. This helps address malnutrition and improve overall health within the community.

Looking Ahead

The N/a’ankuse project is a remarkable illustration of sustainability and conservation efforts collaboratively addressing rural poverty. By adopting an integrated approach, this initiative has shown that it is possible to uplift both communities and their environment for a brighter future.

– Phoebe Long
Photo: Flickr

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Shining Hope on Poverty in Kenya 

Poverty in KenyaKenya has been leading the way as one of the fastest-growing economies in East Africa for the past decade, with an average growth of 5.7% each year. Unfortunately, this has been benefiting the country unevenly; with millions of Kenyans still living in severe poverty. Hope was sparse until an NGO called Shining Hope on Communities emerged from the slums but it is making a difference regarding poverty in Kenya.

Africa’s Largest Slum

Kibera sits on the southern edge of Nairobi and is home to more than 250,000 Kenyans in a space no larger than 2.5 km2. Considered a landmark for sightseers, thousands of men, women and children are victims of starvation and disease.

The area is a slum with dire living conditions, posing safety and disease threats to all inhabitants. It lacks clean water, electricity and sufficient food access while containing no proper housing and holds the constant threat of eviction at any time as an informal settlement. Mostly though, it has robbed most inhabitants of opportunities to educate themselves and to escape to a better life.

The Birth of SHOFCO

The Kibera slum is where it all began when a young Kennedy Odede was born into the tough, unsafe and cruel reality of poverty in Kenya. Odede managed to escape at the age of 10 to a life of sleeping rough and teaching himself with big dreams for a better future for Kenyans.

In 2004, and with nothing but a 10p coin, a football and an idea, the doctor sought out and found a way to support those he had left behind. He created Shining Hope for Communities from the ground up.

Now, the globe recognizes him as a social entrepreneur and is commending him for his achievements. He was crowned one of Forbes’ ’30 under 30’, and has received an Echoing Green Fellowship, among others. Odede still advocates and sits on various foundation boards to give a voice to those still suffering in silence.  

SHOFCO Today

With offices in the U.S. and Kenya, Shining Hope For Communities has taken a grassroots approach to reducing poverty in Kenya by working directly with communities and informal settlements. They work closely with communities suffering the most to provide essential services, including water, safety and other basic survival needs.

SHOFCO then supports the further development of these areas, with education and development opportunities. It encourages and helps individuals access opportunities to improve their futures and through this, begin to develop healthy and self-sufficient communities.

So far, almost 20 years down the line, the organization has reached and achieved the following:

  • SHOFCO’s efforts have impacted 17 urban slums in Kenya.
  • The organization has helped 2.4 million Kenyans living in informal settlements.
  • It helped six health clinics open between the Kibera and Mathara slums.
  • The initiative granted 954 young people access to jobs and internships.
  • The youngest organization in history to receive the Conrad N. Hilton Humanitarian Prize.

SHOFCO & Female Empowerment

Historically, females in the urban slums of Kenya were disregarded when it came to education and opportunities. SHOFCO launched Girls Leadership Academies in Kenya’s two largest slums, Kibera & Mathare. The academies have managed to reach 656 of the slum’s inhabitants. 

The academies offer free education up to the eighth grade and opportunities far better than were previously accessible. Opportunities waiting outside the confines of the slum. 

The girls are also granted access to free health care, supplies, uniforms and food, to ensure that the opportunity for a better future can be fully seized.

Since the launch of the education programs, the amount of girls contracting and suffering from HIV within the slums has reduced significantly. Higher survival rates have also been seen among infants with fewer but healthier children born. The students have gone on to continue advocating for change themselves; to earn more than ever expected and invest more than 90% of earnings into their families, further improving the future of these communities.

Looking Ahead

There is still a long way to go in eradicating poverty in Kenya, but this is only the beginning. SHOFCO is an example of an organization that has provided hope and opened up a future for the residents of Kibera and Mathare that had never existed and it does not have to stop there.

– Lucy Blake
Photo: Flickr

Daariz: The App Improving Literacy in Somalia

Literacy in SomaliaReading and other basic literacy skills are essential building blocks that pave the path to further education and employment opportunities in the future. Much of the world has access to programs and schools that offer, at the very least, an introductory reading course. Unfortunately, there are places where people are too poor, lack time, or have too many extenuating factors that hinder their ability to learn. Somalia is a prime example of a nation where outside factors make it challenging to obtain a quality education. That is why apps like Daariz are essential for helping facilitate easily accessible education and improving literacy in Somalia. 

Education in Somalia

Access to education in Somalia is a significant issue, as is the length of time individuals stay in school. The average Somali child is estimated to remain in school for 1.72 years, which is much lower than the 7.7 years that the rest of individuals in Africa spend in school. In addition to this, according to the Somalian Ministry of Education in 2022, the gross enrollment rate is 24% in primary schools among students aged 6-13. Overall, the number of children in Somalia getting a good education and staying in school is low. This is an essential reason why Daariz has the potential to be a big help to anyone in Somalia who wants to get a start-back-up in education.

The Daariz App

Daariz is an app created by the Sahamiye Foundation, which supports literacy and education in Africa. The organization was founded in 2021 by Ismail Ahmed to provide more accessible education to African people whose lives have been tarnished by war and famine. The organization operates out of London and Hargeisa. The organization’s main goal is to use technology to increase access to education in Africa in what is known as the Horn of Africa (Ethiopia, Sudan, Eritrea, Djibouti and Somalia). Giving people essential skills like reading and writing will help them break the cycles of poverty so prevalent in Somalia and other parts of Africa. 

Access to education gives people better reading and literacy skills. People then use those skills to understand basic instructions on any job or task, like operating machinery or making contracts. Reading is a necessary skill to function in daily life. Without reading skills, opportunities to gain employment drastically decrease. Daariz’s work to increase Somalia’s literacy is crucial for these people. 

Daariz uses games and puzzles to make learning to read and write more enjoyable for those who use the app. Daariz also has awards and badges that users can achieve through repeated app use. The main goal of Daariz is to make learning accessible to as many people as possible. That is why they include several features that make the app more operable. Having an easy-to-operate app that is also fun is key to increasing literacy in Somalia through Daariz.

One such feature would be that Daariz does not need an internet connection. A user truly could learn anywhere and anytime. This is especially useful for a nation where, as of 2021, only 14.5 % of the population used the Internet. Lack of access to educational tools that require an internet connection is not an option for people struggling with literacy in Somalia. Another feature of Daariz that makes it easy to operate is its audio instruction feature. This ease of access is significant because it allows those who cannot read to follow the instructions for the games auditorily. Increased accessibility to learning is a game-changer when lifting people out of poverty and increasing literacy in Somalia.

Results of the App

According to the Sahamiye Foundation’s website, users can reduce the time it takes to achieve success in literacy in a fraction of the time it would take through conventional means. In addition, users can read an average of just under 90 words a minute with almost complete accuracy. The results speak for themselves. Daariz has a real impact on real people. People can now realize that literacy in Somalia is growing. 

Daariz is a creation that has impacted many people’s lives and driven up literacy in Somalia. People can now learn to read and write without an internet connection, without worrying about whether they can comprehend the instructions given to them, which is easy to operate. As awareness of this app grows, so will the lives that are changed positively through it. Many people are now better equipped to lift themselves out of poverty because they better understand how to read and write, thanks to Daariz.

– Calder Miller
Photo: Flickr

iSchoolAfrica: Improving Education in Rural South Africa

Education in Rural South AfricaEducation is one of the most effective tools for lifting people out of poverty. It provides people with better skills and tools to find work and impact the world positively. South Africa is a country where there is a significant education gap. The education gap mirrors the wealth gap that exists there as well. According to the World Bank, 63% of South Africa’s population lives below the poverty line. 

Rural communities get fewer opportunities to learn and grow than larger schools in more populated areas. According to Teach With Africa, children in the top 200 schools in South Africa have better grades in math than the next 6,000 combined. Only 27% of students in school for six years can read. However, an organization known as iSchoolAfrica is trying to close this gap by focusing on tools for rural education in South Africa.

Who Are They?

iSchoolAfrica came into existence in 2009. The main goal of iSchoolAfrica is to help poverty-stricken communities by giving them access to technology that will provide a chance to become better educated and increase their prospects of lifting themselves out of poverty. The organization’s website lists its goals to “increase motivation, enthusiasm, and excitement around learning” and “level the playing fields between resourced and under-resourced schools,” among other purposes. iSchoolAfrica accepts used iPads that have been donated to iStores. The iPads are then distributed to those in communities that need them.

What Programs Do They Run?

iSchoolAfrica has several programs designed to help impoverished students get the education they need. One program iSchoolAfrica has implemented is the #MyFuture Program. This program is designed to help students impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic by giving them access to iPads and teaching and leadership skills to still participate in school activities if COVID-19 dictates that they need to move online.

Another program designed to give impoverished communities better education through technology is the Numeracy Programme. This program uses iPads to help South African youth increase their math skills and get the best math education possible. They use mobile iPad labs to ensure that children have access to this technology and take time to ensure they understand the material. This program is designed to be personal to each student and to ensure that learning is taking place. Since 2011, this program has helped students in schools increase their numeracy grades by 15%, with over 100 schools having been aided in that time as well. Being properly educated in school subjects goes a long way to helping alleviate poverty and helping out struggling communities. 

An additional program the iSchoolAfrica uses to educate focuses on literacy is called the Digital Libraries Programme. iSchoolAfrica uses digital libraries to give students access to a vast array of different digital books and education tools that they can use to increase their literacy levels. This program uses iPads and makes sure that people with disabilities can participate. Implementing digital libraries like this will go a long way in alleviating illiteracy among rural communities. Poor literacy levels are a massive issue in South Africa. According to a study by the South African Department of Basic Education in coordination with UNICEF, 43% of households reported that they did not have access to any books at all earlier this year. Being able to read is a skill that is required to be a member of everyday life and hold down most jobs. By increasing the number of people who can read in rural communities, they have a skill that can help them get better jobs and climb out of poverty.

The Impact of iSchoolAfrica on Rural Education in South Africa

Since the start of the organization back in 2009, iSchoolAfrica has helped over 100,000 people with their education, trained over 3,000 teachers and trained over 200 young people as iSchoolAfrica facilitators. They have had a significant impact on poverty-stricken areas. As an organization, they have also received multiple awards for their charitable work.

iSchoolAfrica has had a powerful impact on rural education in South Africa. The people who live in these communities are better educated, have more access to learning tools and overall have better prospects for their lives than they otherwise would have had. As the years go on, this organization can only go on to have an even more significant impact on poverty and give people suffering from it a chance to be a part of positive change.

– Calder Miller
Photo: Flickr

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5 Facts About Global Access to Higher Education

Global Access to Higher EducationAccess to education, or a lack of access to education, is a key indicator of poverty in many countries. Many cannot afford to send their children to school, need them to work at home, or have no school near them. As a result, it becomes difficult to beat the cycle of poverty. Global access to higher education is especially important, as it is necessary for access to increased salaries. 

Current Picture

Enrollment in higher education doubled between 2000 and 2018. This means that, though many aren’t actually graduating from college or trade school, they are gaining skill sets that will allow them to break the cycle. However, it is important to note that there still exists a large gap in access between the rich and poor, and many of the poorest countries have extremely limited access to higher education. 

Sub-Saharan Africa and Central and Southern Asia have the lowest access to higher education. Sub-Saharan Africa and Asia are also the two poorest regions in the world, accounting for five of every six people in poverty around the world. These two facts are closely linked, as access to higher education is closely linked to poverty. Increasing access to higher education in those regions would help reduce the levels of poverty there as well. 

Access to higher education is lower among the world’s refugees. In 2023, while rates of primary and secondary school education are 68% and 34%, higher education only has an enrollment of 5% among refugees. Because the world’s refugees have such low access to education compared to the global average, it can be difficult for refugees to escape poverty in the countries they move to.

Women have higher enrollment rates than men. Around the world, women have rates of enrollment in higher education 5% higher than men. While men only increased 17% over the last 20 years, women’s enrollment has increased 22%. However, there are many fields, specifically in the sciences and engineering, where women are still behind men. Increasing access in those fields will allow more women to contribute to other important parts of the world’s economy. 

Global Learning Poverty

Global learning poverty increased as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Due to school closings, many students learned remotely or not at all throughout the pandemic. Poorer countries have been hit the hardest, and learning poverty jumped from 57% to 70% in those countries. While this has reversed many years of work to increase education access and literacy rates, as the world returns to normal, that rate will begin to drop again.

– John Rooney
Photo: Flickr

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Education Cannot Wait: Providing Education in All Conditions

Education Cannot WaitMore than 8% of the world’s primary school-aged children do not attend school. That is 58.4 million children who rarely have the opportunity to learn how to read and write, let alone develop the skills necessary to thrive economically. Education opens doors for jobs and resources, promotes healthier lifestyles through more knowledge of nutrition and disease and provides a safer space for young children, typically leading to lower mortality rates and an increase in the age of pregnancy. Overall, education can address the most pressing matters of poverty. 

The United Nations is continuously working to meet the educational needs of the millions of children who do not currently receive the benefits of education. Most of these children cannot attend school due to a lack of qualified teachers, inadequate teaching materials and poor sanitation. These obstacles are magnified when a nation faces further turmoil. The Education Cannot Wait (ECW) program provides education to children in the most uncertain times of emergencies and protracted crises. Here are three examples of how the ECW provides education despite conflict, climate disasters and epidemics. 

#AfghanGirlVoices 

The Taliban authorities regained power in Afghanistan in 2021. Since then, Afghanistan has been internationally isolated, sinking the country further into poverty and reversing previous social and economic development. Recently, a fundamental right has been stripped from women: education. The Taliban has banned all women above the age of 12 from attending school, stripping females of their aspirations and potential. 

The Education Cannot Wait program implemented #AfghanGirlVoices as an outlet for Afghan women to share their resilient opinions about their position in the education system. The campaign is amplifying women’s voices to condemn the violation of their education and to advocate for the institution of female education in Afghanistan. 

COVID-19’s Effect on Kenyan Education 

It is estimated that nine in ten Kenyan children from low-income families never attend school. Inadequate facilities and teaching materials contribute to this lack of education. It is exacerbated by limited health and medical materials, making it difficult for those struggling with diseases like HIV or even girls on their period to attend school. COVID-19 disrupted education by completely shutting down schools with no measures to enforce the necessary sanitation. Additionally, those in low-income areas had no means to participate in a remote education. 

To combat the effect of COVID-19 on education in Kenya, Education Cannot Wait launched the First Emergency Response (FER) program. The program provided remote learning resources, as well as new water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) facilities to make education more accessible despite epidemics. FER helped train 1,733 teachers on new subjects and curriculum knowledge. Additionally, they provided 11,050 adolescent girls with female hygiene kits, allowing them to attend school all weeks of the school year. 

Natural Disasters

Natural disasters, such as floods, hurricanes and typhoons, constantly threaten education. In 2011, 11,000 schools were destroyed in Pakistan due to extreme flooding. Lower educational attainment is seen among many communities that have faced natural disasters. Aside from the destruction of schools, malnutrition, injury, economic challenges and human displacement reduce school attendance after a natural catastrophe. 

Education Cannot Wait invests heavily in communities facing natural disasters. The program constructs temporary learning spaces, provides learning materials, rebuilds damaged schools and offers both mental and physical health support facilities. The ECW goes beyond investments to prepare nations for catastrophes and mobilizes the community to respond to crises. 

The ECW designs educational systems that integrate disaster risk reduction and green economy knowledge while empowering youth to advocate for their community and their necessary resources. 

– Aliya French
Photo: Flickr