Information and stories on education.

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Onesmus Okamar on Art and Education in Kenya

Onesmus Okamar“There are many people with great talents that only lack information. If you don’t know where to take your work to sell or how to approach galleries or individual clients – how to relate to them – that becomes the biggest challenge and an obstacle for many artists and people in all fields.” The Borgen Project interviewed Onesmus Okamar, a self-taught Kenyan artist, discussing his work with the Kobo Trust, art as a tool for alleviating poverty and education in Kenya.

About Onesmus Okamar

Born in Teso-North, Busia County, Kenya, Okamar is an award-winning visual artist based in the country’s capital city, Nairobi. With no formal training, Okamar began pursuing art at age 17. Two years later, in 2014, Okamar received a commendation for the Mask Prize, an award celebrating the creativity and innovation of African youth.

While discussing art and education in Kenya, Onesmus Okamar states that one of the biggest problems that Kenyans face is an insufficiency of information and access to resources, explaining that a particular struggle for creatives is to find “a physical space where they can work and where they can invite clients to get to know their art.”

The Kobo Trust

According to Onesmus Okamar, the Kobo Trust, a charitable foundation and nonprofit founded by Kobo Safaris Ltd. in 2011, works both with artists and children from disadvantaged backgrounds, seeking to create a solution to this problem. The Kobo Trust provides a creative space for artists to use while educating, rehabilitating and sheltering children from disadvantaged backgrounds.

Okamar describes that many “kids end up in the streets because they don’t have anything to do when they finish school.” However, the Kobo Trust sponsors children through their primary, secondary and tertiary levels and “empowers them by getting them involved in businesses of their own.”

Having worked as an artist for the Kobo Trust since 2017, Okamar explains that the foundation receives 20% of any sale from its exhibitions while the remainder profits the artist directly. Through a circular scheme, the 20% returned to the Kobo Trust funds further investment in the foundation’s children, projects and partnerships.

Art as a Tool 

The Kobo Trust is dedicated to sponsoring both children and artists. However, its primary goal is to use arts and culture as a tool for alleviating poverty. The foundation achieves this by using art as a tool for healing traumas while empowering, transforming and building resilience.

When asked how art can practically translate to alleviate poverty, Okamar says, “First and foremost, art must be used as a tool to find an individual’s inner voice, to help expand creativity and freedom of expression.”

The Kobo Trust encourages the freedom of expression as a means to address issues and traumas associated with poverty. It provides an outlet for children and young people to respond positively to their circumstances through art. In doing so, individuals learn that art can be used to overcome a wide variety of challenges and are edified about art as a tool to amplify wider discussions of social, economic and political concerns.

In a brief given by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) discussing the role of art in alleviating poverty, Dr. Kessous, UNESCO artist and ambassador for peace, described it as this: “The impact of art is underestimated today. We have a limited view of an artist as someone who produces beauty devoid of social conscience. In response, many artists decide to combine activism and art to become ‘artivists’ – offering their talents to alleviate suffering, promote peace and prevent war.”

Education in Kenya

Since 2005, Kenya’s economy has steadily grown, transcending from a low-income to a middle-income country. However, disparities in wealth distribution and access to education and health care have created a large divide between Kenya’s rich and poor. Okamar explains that “at times, even the people who may have finances around them lack the information that can help them in their careers.”

When discussing whether art is supported in the Kenyan education system, Okamar laughs, saying that “most parents in Kenya still want their children to become lawyers and doctors.” While this remains prevalent in many countries worldwide, a 2020 study showed that only 19% of Kenyans enrolled in tertiary education, indicating 23% less than the global average.

According to Onesmus Okamar, the latest curriculum does include art but doesn’t address it to be beneficial for development beyond the educational level. He states that “they [students] don’t know anything about the finance part of it. They’re not taught about marketing or using it as an income.” He likens the current system to “giving someone the equipment without giving them the manual on how to use it.”

Alleviating Poverty

Increasing education and access to resources has been proven as a way of reducing poverty. However, when combined with art, it creates a positive medium to address issues synonymous with poverty while increasing awareness and visibility of this suffering. By engaging people in the arts, disadvantaged individuals are encouraged to find their voices and positively contribute to the world around them. Art transforms mentalities, making it a powerful tool in the battle against poverty reduction.

– Zoe Winterfeldt
Photo: Courtesy of Onesmus Okamar

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The Sanctuary Scholarship and Poverty Alleviation in Iraq

Sanctuary ScholarshipThe Sanctuary Scholarship program at the University of Exeter is actively contributing to poverty alleviation, particularly for individuals from Iraq seeking asylum or refugee status. This initiative, geared towards eliminating financial barriers to education, not only facilitates access to top-tier academic opportunities but also empowers recipients to play a crucial role in addressing poverty-related challenges in their home country.

Empowering Through Education

The Sanctuary Scholarship program at the University of Exeter is pivotal in empowering individuals facing asylum or refugee challenges and addressing persistent issues in Iraqi education. Despite advancements, numerous challenges persist, including limited access to basic education and high dropout rates, particularly among children from the poorest quintile, constituting 38% of all school dropouts. The program covers a broad range of academic disciplines, encompassing full-time undergraduate and doctoral programs in Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences. This comprehensive approach enables scholars from Iraq to pursue their academic passions, contributing to vital fields essential for their home country’s holistic development.

The initiative tackles these issues by providing valuable educational opportunities, contributing to poverty alleviation and empowering individuals to shape a brighter future for Iraq. The program equips recipients with essential knowledge and skills for meaningful contributions to Iraq’s socioeconomic development by imparting education. The significant disparity in global rankings between the University of Exeter (143rd) and Iraq’s leading university, the University of Technology Iraq (801-1000th), underscores the impactful role of international educational support in addressing educational disparities and fostering positive change.

Addressing Financial Barriers

The Sanctuary Scholarship significantly aids in poverty alleviation by addressing financial barriers hindering access to higher education, particularly evident in Iraq’s declining gross national income per capita, reducing from $5,940 in 2012 to $5,270 by 2022. Recipients, including those from Iraq, benefit from a full tuition fee waiver for undergraduate and doctoral programs. Additionally, living cost grants and supplementary bursaries ease the financial burden of pursuing a degree, enabling scholars to concentrate on their studies without the strain of economic constraints.

Building Future Leaders

The Sanctuary Scholarship program at the University of Exeter catalyzes developing future leaders in Iraq through strategic investments in education. With unemployment in Iraq nearly doubling from 7.96% in 2012 to 15.55% in 2022, the program plays a crucial role in addressing this challenge. Iraqi scholars benefiting from the initiative gain exposure to a global learning environment, engaging with diverse perspectives, innovative research and valuable networking opportunities. This international exposure equips them with essential skills to drive positive change and tackle the multifaceted challenges of poverty upon their return to Iraq.

Simultaneously, Iraq’s middle class has dwindled from 61% in 2007 to 30% in 2020, accompanied by rising poverty levels, impacting the country’s stability, fueling extremism and heightening ethnic and sectarian tensions. The Sanctuary Scholarship program actively counters these trends by fostering international collaboration among students from diverse backgrounds. This collaborative environment is a unique platform for Iraqi scholars to build global connections, leveraging them for collaborative efforts in poverty alleviation and sustainable development in Iraq.

Conclusion

The Sanctuary Scholarship at the University of Exeter stands as a beacon of hope for individuals from Iraq seeking refuge. This program empowers scholars to become agents of change in the fight against poverty by dismantling financial barriers and providing a world-class education. As recipients return to Iraq armed with knowledge, skills and a global perspective, the impact of the Sanctuary Scholarship resonates not only within the individual lives it transforms but also in the broader context of contributing to a more prosperous and equitable future for Iraq.

– Madeleine Norris
Photo: Flickr

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5 Things To Know about Education in Burundi

Education in BurundiBurundi is one of the least developed countries in the world, situated in central Africa between the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Tanzania and Rwanda. In recent years, the government has emphasized the importance of education in Burundi, making great efforts to improve both the rates and the quality of education. Here are five things you may not know about education in this often-overlooked nation.

Formal and Non-Formal Education

In Burundi, there are two types of education: formal and non-formal. Formal education, which is aimed at all children, has five levels. These include:

  • Preschool
  • Basic
  • Post-basic
  • Trades and vocational training
  • Higher Education

Non-formal education consists of general activities and learning aimed at out-of-school children and illiterate adults. Primarily funded by NGOs and religious groups, this form of education focuses on providing learning in basic literacy and mathematics to make general education more accessible.

Education is Free

Part of the success of education in Burundi is owed to the widespread governmental support, evident in the decision to make education free and compulsory for all at the primary level. Consequently, an impressive 96% of children were attending school in 2011, compared to 59% just six years earlier. A U.N. Secretary-General report also stated that despite being one of the world’s least developed countries, Burundi ranked highest among countries “having made the greatest strides in education.”

Burundi Scores Highly in African Literacy Rates

By making primary education free and compulsory, education in Burundi is well on the rise. As of 2017, literacy rates among young people have jumped from 62% to 88% over a decade. Consequently, Burundi has become one of the top 20 African countries for literacy, which is a huge achievement for the nation. This is largely owed to introducing Kirundi, the local language that most of the population speak, as the language of instruction during the early years of schooling, as well as hiring dedicated teachers and emphasizing the importance of education among communities.

Burundi Dedicates a Quarter of Its Budget to Education

Burundi has an extremely young and fast-growing population. With 41.5% of its population under 15, there is a constantly growing demand for teachers, school equipment and resources. As a result, the country has invested 25% of its national budget into education for the last five years, which is significantly more than average for a sub-Saharan country. Such investment aims to increase education rates among the younger generation and keep up with the expected growing demand for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), which is predicted to increase by almost 50% by 2030.  

Despite All, There Remain High Drop-Out Rates

Despite all of the efforts to improve education in Burundi, the nation continues to see high drop-out rates.  According to a study conducted by the Education Policy and Data Center in 2010, school participation rates remained high for both sexes at the age of 10, with 92%. However, these rates declined to 65% for girls and 77% for boys by the time they reached 15.

More girls are dropping out than boys in their adolescent years for various reasons, such as teenage pregnancy and a lack of separate toilet facilities, which are increasingly important for girls when they begin menstruation. External factors and circumstances continue to be capable of impacting a child’s education despite the quality of schooling that may be available to them.

The Future

The above facts demonstrate the significant progress education in Burundi has seen in the last couple of decades and the areas that may still need some further attention. Despite being one of the poorest countries in the world today, Burundi remarkably achieves high literacy rates, provides free primary education and ensures that practically all children receive a basic education. Although external and societal factors remain a pressing issue and a reason for significant drop-out rates among older children, Burundi is no doubt on the right path to a brighter and more educated future for its population.

– Rose Williams
Photo: Flickr

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RISING Uganda: Quality & Inclusive Learning For All

Rising UgandaIn the summer of 2023, the RISING Uganda project, a scheme established to provide Ugandan children with access to education, unveiled its plans to construct and/or refurbish more than 67 classrooms and 53 WASH facilities within nine districts across the country. The charity estimates that the value of this project will be in excess of 3 billion Ugandan shillings.

The Rising Uganda Project

The RISING Uganda project emerged in 2022 through the Stromme Foundation East Africa. The project intends to cover four years and its purpose is to collaborate with households, communities and political leaders to dismantle barriers preventing children from receiving quality education. These barriers include classroom shortages and learning gaps.

The East Africa initiative is a branch of the wider Stromme Foundation. This NGO traces its origins to 1976 through the efforts of Reverend Olav Kristian Strømme of Kristiansand Cathedral in Norway to raise money for the less fortunate. It has since grown into the largest NGO in Norway. Following the reverend’s death, his nephew Gunnar Strømme built upon his uncle’s work by establishing the Strømme Memorial Foundation in support of less fortunate individuals on a global scale. Today, the organization maintains regional offices in Mali, Uganda and Sri Lanka along with headquarters in Norway. The organization also maintains partnerships with 11 different countries, exclusively within Asia and Africa.

Within Uganda itself, the Stromme Foundation estimates that the percentage of Ugandans currently living in poverty stands at 42% and that 23.5% of the population above the age of 15 are illiterate. 

Programs

Intervention schemes to address these statistics include the Bonga Adolescent Empowerment Programme. Bonga is a life skills training program that utilizes “a dialogue process to build confidence among the out-of-school illiterate adolescent girls and boys (13- 19 years) to develop their analytical capacity through life skills and vocational skills,” the Stromme Foundation website says.

Similarly, the foundation’s Technical Vocational Education Training (TVET) program is an outreach project to provide young Ugandans with the transferable skills necessary to succeed in the employment market through apprenticeship models to provide them with a means of contributing to both their household income and the economy of their wider community.

With the RISING Uganda program, a collaborative effort will be maintained between the Stromme Foundation East Africa and district education officers, teachers and community leaders to incentivize such communities to enrol more children in schools erect new classrooms, refurbish existing ones and supply vulnerable school children with the necessary resources to learn. 

Upon the announcement of the construction of 67 new classrooms and 53 WASH facilities by the Stromme Foundation, Carron Beaumont, head of Program Implementation at Plan International Uganda, highlighted at the initiating event that “Investing in basic school infrastructure is crucial for better learning outcomes, especially at this time where enrolment into education is needed for millions of children who have been affected by ongoing and past conflicts as well as crises and gender inequalities.’’

First Lady Janet Kataaha Museveni also attended the initiating event and laid out a foundation stone to mark the occasion. 

The Power of Collaboration

The RISING Uganda scheme is currently being implemented as a consortium involving not only the Stromme Foundation but also Plan International Uganda, a charity similarly devoted to the empowerment of Uganda’s youth since 1992. This collaborative effort is operating in partnership with the Ministry of Education and Sports while receiving funding from Educate A Child in Uganda. Similarly, Educate A Child is a global charity devoted to providing school children across the world with a quality education for children afflicted with circumstances such as poverty, discrimination and conflict. Its reach encompasses 53 countries, including Uganda.

Through the efforts of humanitarian organizations, quality and inclusive learning for all may be a possibility.

– Thomas Perry
Photo: Flickr

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Transforming Education in Pakistan: Innovative Digital Solutions

Transforming Education in PakistanEducation is the cornerstone for progress and development in any nation. In Pakistan, an estimated 22.8 million children between 5-16 are out of school, accounting for 44% of the total population in this age range. Even those within the educational system face significant challenges due to a lack of funding, such as low-quality teaching and lack of resources. Education deprivation also unfortunately reinforces class and gender inequality; gender-wise, boys outnumber girls at every stage of education.

Enter the Teach the World Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to transforming education in Pakistan by harnessing the power of technology to advance literacy in developing countries. The Foundation firmly believes that the conventional educational system falls short of providing children from underprivileged backgrounds with the opportunity for a quality education. Recognizing this gap, the Foundation employs innovative digital learning methods demonstrating exceptional efficiency through a proof-of-concept. These digital approaches are carefully curated to promote self-learning, ensuring scalability and cost-effectiveness.

Currently, in Pakistan, the Teach the World Foundation is actively engaged in educational initiatives in Karachi, Islamabad and Lahore, with a strong commitment to expanding its reach. The Foundation’s ongoing programs in Pakistan include in-school initiatives, micro-school programs and smartphone-based learning programs. A closer look into these programs reveals the innovative methods used by Teach the World to tackle poverty through education in Pakistan.

In-School Initiatives

Teach the World Foundation recognizes the power of collaboration in transforming education in Pakistan and has actively formed partnerships with other NGOs and schools in various regions. The foundation has devised innovative solutions to tackle the shortage of proficient English teachers, a key impediment to effective learning. In a world rapidly becoming more globalized, English proficiency appears to be crucial. However, attracting skilled English teachers is challenging due to higher-paying opportunities in alternative job sectors. The foundation introduced advanced educational games featuring “best-in-class” content in English, math and local languages to bridge this gap. Notably, students engaging with these interactive tools demonstrated a remarkable two times improvement in performance compared to control groups. Beyond academic achievement, the initiative nurtures essential modern skills such as digital literacy, self-learning and self-confidence.

An exemplary case in Karachi involves partnering with The Citizens Foundation (TCF) on a pilot program in 2017. The initiative began with 240 kindergarten, first and second-grade children. To date, there has been remarkable progress in 40 students, who have shown proficiency in English and Maths and increased self-confidence. The next steps for this program involve expanding its reach, increasing partnerships with other schools, and extending the curriculum to include Urdu content. For instance, in Islamabad, with the aid of the Moawin Foundation, there are plans to expand from two to 23 schools, potentially benefiting up to 8,700 children.

Micro-schools

Micro-schools, introduced by Teach the World Foundation in 2021, represent a revolutionary approach to education delivery. These one-room schools are powered by digital learning software, providing a scalable and cost-effective solution to the shortage of teachers and schools in Pakistan. There are five micro-schools in Karachi and two in Lahore, with ambitious plans to establish 500-1000 such schools in the next five years. Micro-schools’ power lies in their efficiency – requiring minimal staff, space and no conventional teachers. This scalability has a high potential for positive impact, particularly in rural areas where educational resources are severely lacking. A case in point is the province of Baluchistan, where an alarming 70% of children do not attend school. The potential for micro-schools to address this stark educational disparity in rural regions is promising.

Smartphone Programs

In response to the widespread availability of smartphones among parents of school-going children, Teach the World Foundation has piloted smartphone-based learning programs. This initiative takes advantage of the fact that 24 million parents of school-going children own smartphones. Parents are introduced to the home-schooling initiative and encouraged to download the Foundation’s learning application for their children. Regular check-ins with facilitators and weekly online quizzes reinforce the learning process. This approach addresses logistical challenges, actively involves parents in educating their children and encourages family literacy.

The foundation’s current pilot program involves 1,500 children in Islamabad and Bangladesh. The cost-effectiveness of this program, with only an initial application creation cost, positions it as a highly scalable model. Teach the World continues to explore partnerships and refine its approach, and there is optimism that this smartphone-based program could extend its impact to millions of students, addressing accessibility and cost barriers in education.

Looking Ahead

Teach the World Foundation’s multifaceted approach to education in cities like Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad exemplifies a commitment to innovation and inclusivity. The foundation is transforming education in Pakistan through in-school initiatives, micro-schools and smartphone programs. As these initiatives continue to grow and evolve, the vision of widespread, high-quality education in Pakistan draws closer to reality. The foundation’s success stories show the transformative potential of digital learning in addressing educational challenges and fostering a brighter future for Pakistan.

– Haniya Rahman
Photo: Unsplash

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Oprah Winfrey Supports Education in Developing Countries

Oprah WinfreyTelevision personality and philanthropist Oprah Winfrey (“Oprah”) has set up several foundations and networks with charitable causes. Through these foundations, Oprah has helped educate some of the most vulnerable communities within the United States and beyond.

Oprah’s Angel Network

Oprah established a public charity called Oprah’s Angel Network in 1998. During its 12-year history, the charity garnered more than $80 million in donations, all of which went toward supporting charitable causes across the world. According to the Oprah Winfrey Charitable Foundation website, Oprah’s Angel Network dedicated funds towards bettering the lives of people around the world, including helping establish 60 schools in 13 countries, creating scholarships, supporting women’s shelters, and building youth centers and homes.

The Angel Network concluded in 2010 after distributing $1 million in donations to six charter schools to support the improvement of quality public education for children.

Seven Foundations Primary School

In 2007, Oprah’s Angel Network provided funding for the Seven Fountains Primary School located in KwaZulu Natal, South Africa. Situated in a poor, rural community, the initial school building had no electricity, limited water access, few sanitation facilities, and stood in a dilapidated state. Donations from the network allowed for the construction of an entirely new and sustainably built school building with proper facilities for both learning and recreation. An approximate 1,000 students were provided with educational resources that they and their instructors had previously not had access to, including computers and SMART Boards.

Designed to impact the whole community, the school also granted adults access to use its facilities to further their education or host workshops. Amenities made available to them consisted of a night school, the computer lab, and the library.

Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls

The Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls (“OWLAG”) was established by Oprah in 2007 in Johannesburg, South Africa. Inspired by former South African president Nelson Mandela and his passion for education, Oprah made a promise back in 2002 to provide the best possible education opportunities for marginalized women in South Africa. The OWLAG, a result of that pledge, is active to this day.

Entry criteria for the academy requires that the applicant has had to overcome childhood poverty and trauma, yet also possesses a resilience, courage and spirit that establishes them as a leader among their peers. With features such as 21 state-of-the-art classrooms, six labs, and a 10,000 volume library, the OWLAG provides chosen girls with access to world-class resources dedicated towards improving their education and supporting them to seek out substantial careers.

As of 2023, 528 girls have graduated from the academy. Out of this number, 90% have pursued college education, some attending top universities around the world.

Improving Education: Looking Ahead

Through Oprah’s charitable work over the years, even the most disadvantaged communities have been able to receive an education that will allow them to gain the skills and knowledge needed to break the cycle of poverty.

In October 2023, Oprah pledged $2.5 million to the U.S. Dream Academy to assist in their efforts to provide after-school and mentoring programs to children with incarcerated parents. With youth education being a priority for her philanthropic deeds, she hopes to continue to provide marginalized groups with the resources they need to be able to shape a better future for themselves.

– Ella Bushell
Photo: Flickr

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SAP Launches Educate to Employ Initiative in South Africa

Educate to Employ InitiativeIn November 2023, SAP, in collaboration with UNICEF and other public-private organizations, such as the National Youth Development Agency, activated its Educate to Employ Initiative in South Africa. The initiative aims to “introduce a pathway that will possibly resolve the disproportionate levels of youth unemployment.”

Unemployment in South Africa 

Although South Africa the most industrialized country in Africa, it ranks among countries with the world’s highest youth unemployment rate, with a reported 51.25% of its youth facing unemployment. According to the Republic of South Africa’s Quarterly Labor Force Survey in 2023, individuals aged 15 to 34 experience particularly high levels of unemployment. Notably, 60% of those between 15 and 24 years old are without employment and around 34% of young people in this age group are not engaged in employment, education or training.

How SAP is Helping

SAP will work towards granting equal opportunities for “underrepresented individuals, including minorities from diverse ethnic backgrounds, women, differently abled individuals, the underprivileged and the disadvantaged.” It will select about 100 applicants from a pool of 18,000 across the continent. The selected individuals will undergo remote training over a six to 12-month period.

The SAP Student Zone Portal allows students to learn about the latest SAP solutions for free. “The curriculum also encompasses employability skills, technology in the workplace, business foundation knowledge, SAP foundational knowledge and SAP skills certification.” Upon completion of the course, they will have the opportunity to secure various IT internships in departments such as consulting, development, analysis and support within the SAP ecosystem. 

Businesses alone cannot close the age gap in the workforce. According to a study that the National Research Foundation conducted, “the education system fails to adequately provide youth with even basic skills, such as literacy and numeracy, that employers require.” Studies show that although multiple factors are at play when it comes to youth’s access to the job market, they mainly suggest interventions that can address and offer “skills, social capital and information gaps that young people face.”

Focus on Socio-emotional Skills

Programs like this initiative focus on socio-emotional skills, also referred to as “soft skills.” These skills include emotional intelligence, problem-solving and critical thinking. Businesses that participate in programs like Educate to Employ will also have the opportunity to gain access to certified and diverse talent and help “bridge the demand and supply gap for SAP skills and accelerate digital transformation within their respective countries through a digitally skilled workforce.” 

“We welcome SAP’s continued investment into skills development for the youth and extend our congratulations to UNICEF and SAP on their partnership. The South African government is encouraged by the initiative and we look forward to supporting efforts to scale the SAP Educate to Employ initiative,” expressed Pinky Kekana, Deputy Minister in the Presidency for Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation, at an event that showcased the SAP Educate to Employ initiative in Johannesburg.

Eugene Ho, the Global Corporate Social Responsibility Director for Future Skills at SAP, said the company is not focusing on bridging the gap between education and the world but rather finding a solution “to global unemployment, increasing the competitiveness of economies and enhancing their attractiveness to investors, all of which are essential for growth.”

– Noura Dakka
Photo: Flickr

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Lumen Vitae Supports Education in Haiti

Education in Haiti

Education in Haiti faces substantial challenges, with a limited percentage of the population gaining access to tertiary education. The CIA World Factbook estimated that in 2021, only about one in 20 young adults in Haiti had the opportunity to pursue higher education. Underfunding, inadequate infrastructure and ongoing political and economic instability have further exacerbated this issue. Despite these challenges, Haiti remains hopeful for improvement through government initiatives and external partnerships to expand access to higher education. These efforts are crucial in providing the country’s youth with better prospects for the future and strengthening higher education in Haiti. 

Education Linked to Poverty

Education in Haiti is closely intertwined with the nation’s poverty issue. Nearly 90% of Haitians live below the poverty line, with nearly a third of them living in extreme poverty. With poverty playing such a prevalent role across the country, many of Haiti’s citizens lack the agency to be able to pursue tertiary education. The lack of affordable options and inadequate educational infrastructure further hampers the prospects of economic improvement for most of the population. Expanding access to higher education is essential to break the poverty cycle and offer Haiti’s citizens a brighter future. 

Education and Gender Inequality

The topic of education in Haiti is closely tied to gender inequality in the country. This gender disparity is evident in the enrollment rates, with fewer females accessing tertiary education. Additionally, as the World Bank points out, adult men in Haiti are far more likely than their female counterparts to attend or complete secondary and tertiary education. Cultural and socio-economic factors often limit educational opportunities for women, perpetuating gender disparities in various aspects of Haitian society. This gender imbalance hinders the empowerment and economic prospects of women and contributes to the broader issue of gender inequality in the nation. 

About Lumen Vitae

The organization Lumen Vitae can trace its beginnings to a small mission trip group that visited Camp Corail in Croix-des-Bouquets in 2011. This group joined the efforts of the group Caritas in Veritate International to bring critical aid to internally displaced refugees following the 7.0 magnitude earthquake that shook Haiti. Many of the mission trip’s participants were avid members of Jesus Youth, an international missionary movement rooted in the Catholic Church. With the support of Jesus Youth, these mission trips continued for a few years, returning to Haiti to help rebuild the country after such a devastating natural disaster. Humble beginnings of educational outreach were also possible, with an initiative led in conjunction with the local Scalabrini Fathers to educate 25 Haitian children. 

Through continued mission trips, Jesus Youth continued to support financial assistance for students located in Camp Corail. By taking a definitive step forward, the organization sent a missionary of its own in 2016 to explore the possibility of a larger project for education in Haiti. This probe proved to eventually be successful, with Jesus Youth deciding to create Lumen Vitae in 2017. As a subsidiary charitable organization, Jesus Youth started Lumen Vitae to bring dignity through education to those living in poverty in Haiti. Since then, Lumen Vitae has been able to lead initiatives and programs to further its goal of educational equity, especially by opening the Lumen Vitae Office, the “Limye Lavi Learning Center” professional school, and reaching more than 600 Haitian children. 

However, Lumen’s Vitae’s efforts are not just limited to educational equity. The organization has also extended its charitable efforts to other areas, recognizing the interconnectedness of global poverty in affecting many aspects of life. For example, the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic had disastrous effects worldwide, which were even more prominent in developing countries such as Haiti. In response to the rapid inflation of goods in Haiti during this time, Lumen Vitae played a pivotal role in organizing a “Race for the Light” donation event. With more than 2,450 people participating in the event, it raised $260,000 to feed poor families in Haiti. 

When Passion Intertwines With Purpose

As a senior at the University of Notre Dame majoring in Neuroscience and minoring in Poverty Studies, Allan George found himself deeply attracted to the mission of Lumen Vitae. In an interview with The Borgen Project, he remarked that he was “looking for an opportunity to explore the issue of global poverty and also be able to do some good in the world.” This search led him to find Lumen Vitae. Subsequently, he landed an internship with the organization, helping the marketing team reach potential donors to sponsor children’s education in Haiti.

To achieve this, he helped set up Hubspot, a customer relationship management software, to manage prospective donors properly. He also worked on Lumen Vitae’s Podcast with Audio editing with Logic Pro and Video editing with Final Cut Pro. He helped publish the Podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and YouTube. Although he has many incredible thoughts about his Lumen Vitae internship, George shared that “what stood out to [him] the most was the ability to turn small actions into something meaningful which can help to reduce educational inequality. [He] greatly encourages anyone interested to look into getting involved with organizations in order to alleviate global poverty.”

– Nathaniel George
Photo: Flickr

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Addressing Challenges Accessing Education in Sudan

Education in SudanDue to continued violent conflict in Sudan over the past six months, 19 million Sudanese children are unable to access education.

“Sudan is on the brink of becoming home to the worst education crisis in the world…children have been exposed to the horrors of war for nearly half a year. Now, forced away from their classrooms, teachers and friends, they are at risk of falling into a void that will threaten the future of an entire generation,” said Mandeep O’Brien, the Sudan United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Country Representative. Here is information about what some are doing to address access to education in Sudan.

The History of Violence in Sudan

Since the 1980s, Sudan has experienced extreme violence at the hands of a militant government. For 30 years, al-Bashir ruled as Sudan’s dictator. In 2011, after years of civil disobedience, civil wars and public protests, South Sudan gained independence from the remainder of the country. In 2019, a military coup displaced al-Bashir and its leaders announced a move toward democracy. However, the two leaders of the coup began fighting each other on April 15, 2023, derailing Sudan’s democratic revolution and starting the current civil war.

Some schools are struggling to reopen and at least 171 schools became emergency shelters for the millions who this war displaced. Even those children who fled Sudan and are attending schools in other nearby countries struggle to focus on studies, as the violence they witnessed at home haunts them.

The Impact of Poverty in Sudan on Child Slavery and Education

As of 2020, 85% of Sudanese children are living in abject poverty. These conditions make the future of Sudan’s rising generation look bleak. With school closures depriving children of socialization with their peers and access to critical resources, they are much more likely to join militant groups actively recruiting displaced youth. This leaves them vulnerable to the influence of extremist beliefs, setting them on a potential path of more violence. Additionally, Sudanese girls are being abducted and forced into sex slavery and trafficking. 

As of October 27, 2023, this war has led to the deaths of up to 9,000 people and injured thousands more, according to the UN. A recent analysis shows that the earning loss from the conflict so far may result in a lifetime loss of up to $26 billion for the younger Sudanese generation.

UNICEF and Save the Children are working hard to bridge the widening education gap, including encouraging the reopening of schools and rehiring of teachers. Areas where it is unsafe to reopen schools are exploring alternative learning methods. Save the Children is working with 200 schools, providing educational resources and safe play spaces for school-age children.

Looking Ahead

Resistance committees in Sudan are working within their communities to improve infrastructure. Originally formed to non-violently organize against the two militant groups causing the civil war, they are now attempting to reconnect energy grids, create and staff medical clinics and meet other community needs. This collective is also creating a larger political roadmap, with the hope of ending the conflict and making Sudan a stable democracy.

– Casey Pratt
Photo: Wikimedia Commons

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The Link Between Poverty and Children’s Education in Somalia

Earlier in 2023, the United Nations (UN) reported that more than 3 million children living in Somalia currently have no access to education. Poverty has an influence on children’s education in Somalia – the World Bank reports that 73% of people in Somalia live in poverty as of 2023. The following is an overview of the link between children’s education and poverty in Somalia.

Education in Somalia

UNICEF has highlighted several challenges affecting children’s education in Somalia. Parents in many areas are unable to afford their children’s education due to poverty, long distances to schools, safety concerns, social norms favoring boys’ education and a shortage of teachers, especially female ones. Additionally, the lack of sanitation facilities further hinders enrollment, especially for girls. Even for those attending school, challenges persist—overcrowded classrooms, inadequately trained teachers and a shortage of educational resources hinder the quality of education. Consequently, children face difficulties in achieving academic success.

Concerning gender inequality, a 2018 report from the Education, Policy and Data Center (EDPC) underscores disparities in Somali education. In 2006, 81% of girls aged 6-11 were not in school, compared to 77% of boys. Similarly, 79% of girls aged 14-17 were out of school, in contrast to 66% of boys. Gender norms influence this discrepancy, leading parents to prioritize their sons’ education over their daughters’ due to limited financial resources.

Schools are limited in rural areas, and often centralized in cities, making it challenging for children to commute. Due to insufficient government funding, due to extreme poverty fluctuations, the education system faces financial challenges. Amina Abdulle, a British primary school teacher working with girls in Somalia, reported that teaching conditions are tough, with a shortage of supplies due to funding issues. She also reported that poverty-related cuts have affected public education, making schooling less accessible, compounded by the introduction of school fees.

Ongoing Efforts

Speaking on what adjustments could improve the education in the Somali schooling system. Abdulle says, “I think there is a lot of room for improvement. But the changes don’t have to be drastic to make a difference.”

Save the Children is a children’s rights organization that has worked in Somalia since 1951, for more than seven decades. The organization’s efforts cover “health and nutrition, education, child protection and child rights governance,” the Save the Children website says. Through various forms of programming, the organization aims to improve the well-being of children. For instance, in terms of education in Somalia, Save the Children supports the Ministry of Health and the public education sector to rehabilitate school infrastructure, and provide quality training to educators while advancing the school curriculums and strengthening education policies.

What is Next?

The Save the Children website outlines its commitment to enhancing education access, particularly for marginalized groups such as rural and pastoralist communities, out-of-school children and internally displaced populations. The organization concentrates on elevating the quality of education services to enhance learning outcomes and advocates for equality and inclusiveness, particularly for girls and children with disabilities. Its educational initiatives follow a holistic approach, addressing child rights, protection, health and proper nutrition. In an interview, Abdulle noted that change is underway, albeit gradual, and emphasized the children’s eagerness to learn, expressing hope for appropriate transformations to benefit them.

– Sumaya Ali
Photo: Unsplash