Archive for category: Education

Information and stories on education.

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The Smile Foundation: Improving Education in India

The Smile FoundationIndia is one of the poorest and populated countries, with more than 1.3 billion people. Nearly 70% of the population lives on less than $2 per day. Furthermore, women and children are among the most vulnerable groups that are most affected by poverty and inequality. The Smile Foundation commits to improving educational outcomes in India so that children have a way to improve their lives and rise out of poverty.

Education in India

The National Sample Survey Organization’s 2017-2018 survey showed that roughly 30 million children aged 6-17 were not attending school. UNICEF reports that approximately 20 million children between the ages of 3 and 6 do not attend preschool. Between 2011 and 2018, literacy rates in India increased by 5.07%. However, in 2018, the female literacy rate in India was 70.3%, compared to the male literacy rate of 84.7%.

Access, availability and quality of education in India are some of the most prevalent barriers to combating poverty for vulnerable women and children in underserved communities. The exclusion of children from educational opportunities based on caste, socio-religious identification, gender and ability, facilitates even more marginalization and poverty for disadvantaged groups.

The Smile Foundation

Education in India, especially among rural communities, is a strong determinant for ensuring a chance of economic security and female employment. Thanks to the diligent work of the Smile Foundation, a nonprofit organization empowering change through education and awareness, disadvantaged women, youth and children have an opportunity to escape poverty and achieve economic security.

Santanu Mishra, the co-founder and executive trustee of Smile Foundation, refers to education as, “the great equalizer that opens new gateways and opportunities to improve the standard of life.” Mishra explains that poverty is a multifaceted state that can derive from a lack of quality educational attainment, in addition to the absence of certain knowledge, assets and opportunities. Acquiring an education in India can improve individual well-being while interrupting the generational and cyclical nature of poverty. “I believe that education is the key that can transform the story of an individual from trying to survive to thriving in life,” says Mishra.

Vision and Approach

The Smile Foundation came about in 2002 with the aim of making a positive contribution to society. Today, the organization serves more than 2,000 villages and slums in 25 states of India through welfare projects promoting education, healthcare, income and women’s empowerment.

The Smile Foundation believes that “Civic Driven Change” which upholds public responsibility to increase community-based engagement, is pivotal to achieve transformation. The organization has collaborated with local and international groups, institutions and public figures to bear global awareness and response. In 2010, the Smile Foundation produced, “I Am Kalam,” the first film created by a development organization, which premiered at the 63rd Cannes Film Festival, winning 17 national and international awards. The film addresses the issue and importance of child education as a tool to rise out of poverty.

Utilizing a “lifecycle approach,” the Smile Foundation aims to improve welfare by empowering children and families through meaningful education, healthcare and social skills. The Smile Foundation employs “Social Venture Philanthropy” —  a concept which means connecting social investment plans to charitable giving by focusing on reach, sustainability, a culture of leadership and clear accountability. The organization’s Outreach model reaches rural regions, enabling deeper insight into obstacles of project implementation.

Mission Education

The Smile Foundation developed Mission Education (ME), a national program providing quality healthcare and education in India to over 232,000 underserved children since 2002. The ME program guarantees unbiased access to education through a four-step approach. This involves a focus on students, a focus on teachers, prioritizing an effective learning environment and community and stakeholder engagements.

“Education of girls also gets priority, with 51% of total beneficiaries being girls. This is done by bringing about an attitudinal change in the parents’ outlook toward education,” says Mishra. In 2019, 87% of qualified students who graduated from ME centers entered traditional schools and almost every ME teacher possessed sufficient academic training.

Going Forward

Amid COVID-19 challenges, the Smile Foundation has implemented personalized, virtual education plans to guarantee disadvantaged students an adequate opportunity to succeed. The Smile Foundation also utilizes socio-behavioral guidance and capacity-building opportunities for teachers to prepare students to become active members of society.

“I often say that our vision at Smile should be that one day we should not exist,” says Mishra. Mishra explains that the Smile Foundation intends to mobilize community-based action, sensitize global responses and perpetuate government accountability to achieve sustainable change and eventually become a bygone organization.

Improving Education in India

The Indian government has taken strides toward improving the education system but further measures are crucial to combat the pandemic-induced likelihood of increased out-of-school children rates. Mishra suggests that the government should prioritize family-based social and economic assistance to encourage parents to send their children back to school. Mishra believes that a synergistic approach works best. This involves support from NGOs, advantageous stakeholders, community programs and components of an effective learning environment. In combination, this produces the greatest results for providing children an equal opportunity to thrive in life and rise out of poverty.

– Violet Chazkel
Photo: Flickr

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5 GlobalGiving Projects Making a Difference

5 More Projects from GlobalGiving
GlobalGiving is a worldwide nonprofit network that connects charities to potential donors. The website primarily acts as a platform for other nonprofits to gain traction in fundraising efforts. Since the organization’s establishment in 2002, it has helped raise over $552 million for projects in 170 countries. GlobalGiving vets each project thoroughly so donors can feel confident their money is going to those who need it most. Here are five GlobalGiving projects.

5 GlobalGiving Projects

  1. Of the top 10 most popular fundraising campaigns on the GlobalGiving website, six have dedicated themselves to natural disasters. Hurricanes, earthquakes and wildfires have created an enormous need for relief in the past several years. In 2018, in the U.S. alone, the cost of natural disasters was $91 billion. The Puerto Rico & Caribbean Hurricane Relief Fund is a campaign that has obtained 71,630 donations totaling over $12 million to provide aid in regard to natural disasters. Following this is the Hurricane Harvey Relief Fund, the Mexico Earthquake Relief Fund, The Island Spirit Fund, the Australia Wildfires Relief Fund and the Hurricane Dorian Relief and Recovery Fund. Initially, the money that these projects raised went toward immediate response efforts. These efforts included search and rescue, medical supplies, food and water. However, with the severity of damage that natural disasters have left in several areas, the long-term needs of impacted communities require additional funding. All the money that these GlobalGiving campaigns now raise goes exclusively toward local organizations helping communities rebuild and improve resources for future challenges. In total, these six disaster response campaigns have received 175,671 donations and raised over $32 million.
  2. The Coronavirus Relief Fund campaign has raised the most money on the GlobalGiving website. This is unsurprising, as COVID-19 has infected over 118 million people worldwide and over 2.6 million have died. Therefore, a definite need for relief exists as a result of the many consequences of the pandemic. That is why GlobalGiving is raising funds for the protective gear for frontline health workers, essential resources for families in need, education on prevention and access to necessary healthcare in low-resource communities.
  3. The Alawite Islamic Charity Organization is currently raising funds through GlobalGiving to provide 24 months of wages for the nurses working in its pediatric wing until it is possible to find new funding for this project. Lebanon is currently experiencing a financial crisis due to the debt that the nation’s government incurred following the country’s 1975-1990 civil war. At its worst, Lebanon’s currency was over L£7,000 to $1. As a result, the Alawite Islamic Charity Organization, which runs a free vaccination program serving over 5,000 people a month, is currently one of many organizations financially suffering amid this crisis. The nurses receiving support are crucial to distributing government-provided vaccinations to children in Lebanon. The name of the project is For Healthy Children & a Better Tomorrow, and it is seeking to raise $10,000.
  4. Educate a Girl, Educate a Nation – Sierra Leone is raising money to help educate young girls and break them out of the cycle of poverty. Girls in African countries often do not have access to the same educational opportunities as boys. In Sierra Leone specifically, the literacy rate for boys and girls over 15 years of age is drastically different at 51.6% and 34.9% respectively as of 2018. The organization running this campaign, Develop Africa Inc., uses the funds it raises to provide scholarships to girls most likely to drop out of school. This project also funds training for girls in vocational, computer literacy and business skills. Currently, GlobalGiving and Develop Africa Inc. have raised over $132,000 toward this initiative.
  5. Lighthouse Relief is responding to this crisis by raising funds for its project Advance Relief Efforts for Refugees in Greece. There are close to 100,000 people living in refugee camps in mainland Greece. Over 15,000 refugees arrived in 2020 alone. Often, people stranded in these camps experience difficult living conditions while having to wait months or years for a decision on their status. The project’s goal is to continue to fund efforts in “safe spaces” in Ritsona Camp. These efforts include building skills through camp volunteer programs, presenting young refugees with the opportunity to advocate for themselves and targetting programs to help grow psychosocial skills. Lighthouse Relief emphasizes the need for response efforts focused on empowering refugees. It has raised almost $100,000 toward its $111,000 goal.

GlobalGiving is an example of the remarkable power of change in the world. Millions of people have donated since 2002 and millions more experienced others’ kindness. To explore the 5,713 current GlobalGiving projects, visit the website.

– Emma Maytham
Photo: Flickr

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Women’s Rights in Qatar Show Promising Growth

Women’s Rights in Qatar
Qatar resides in the Middle East, just east of Saudi Arabia. The country boasts high economic prosperity, ranking among the highest in the world. It also occupies a low spot on the global list on gender gap — Qatar’s global ranking is 0.629 out of one. Qatar upholds female education and proactively attempts to improve women’s rights. However, women’s rights in Qatar need continued advocacy to decrease the country’s gender gap and increase equality.

Attempted Improvements

In 2009, Qatar became a member of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW). Despite membership, the country did not fully commit to all portions of the convention. Qatar refuses to maintain the following: gender equality in domestic laws and policies, equality with regard to nationality, equality before the law, freedom of movement and of residence and domicile and equality in marriage and family life. These requirements contradict Islamic law.

Discriminatory Laws

Qatar’s legal system centers around Shari’a, Islamic law. When Qatar enacted a (discriminatory) law, it crafted it upon the government’s interpretation of a religious belief. In this way, women’s rights in Qatar experience subjection to possible sexist ideas based on misreadings or outdated practices.

In family events or in a court of law, people do not view the testimony of a woman as equal to that of a man’s. If a Qatari woman has children with a non-Qatari man, the children are unable to assume the Qatari nationality; whereas, if the man were to be of Qatari nationality, the children would be able to assume citizenship. Women seeking a divorce have far less ability to appear in court and receive a fair settlement.

Representation in Parliament

As of 2015, Qatar’s 29-member municipal council had only two female members and its legal system included just one female judge. In 2017, the Inter-Parliamentary Union elected four female representatives to serve on the Shura Council of Qatar (Qatar’s parliament) for the first time. The Shura Council of Qatar looks over government policy, creates proposals for new laws and renews the country’s financial allocation.

Women’s Education Rights

In contrast to the lack of women’s rights in Qatar, gender discrimination has consistently remained out of the education system. The government supplies education at no cost for all citizens between ages 6 and 16. It is one of the most generous countries in its fiscal allotment per-student and allocates a large majority of its funds toward education.

The youth literacy rate rests at about 98% and close to 96% of girls attend secondary school. Further, there are more women than men attending Qatar’s University College of Law. Qatar University also provides adult courses. The class offerings improve national literacy rates and help maintain women’s educational rights. After graduation, Qatari women have the complete freedom to enter the business and financial sectors.

Conclusion

A struggle for equality and women’s rights in Qatar still exists despite its progressive nature. The country is aware of this issue and is continuing its work to further the rights of women in Qatar. There have already been achievements in creating equal opportunities and legal reform for female citizens. More are sure to come with Qatar’s commitment to increased gender equality.

– Adelle Tippetts
Photo: Flickr

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Justice Systems in Africa: Training New Lawyers

Justice Systems in Africa
Flaws exist within criminal justice systems all over the world. Several justice systems in Africa have a design to ensure speedy and fair trials for defendants, but some are lacking. Furthermore, while several African governments take on the responsibility of providing adequate legal representation for defendants, some do not meet these standards. Many criminal justice systems in Africa lack quality legal aid due to increasing levels of illiteracy, corruption and poverty. Defendants with proper legal aid have a fighting chance in court.

Justice Defenders

Justice Defenders is a nonprofit that works within four African countries to provide prisoners with skills to defend themselves in court. This organization recognizes that the justice systems in Africa are suffering and aims to transform the lives of people who struggle within it.

Alexander Mclean educated prison communities about the law in Uganda. As a result, he founded Justice Defenders in 2007. This organization currently consists of over 350 workers across over 40 prisons in Africa. England and Wales recognized the organization as a charity. The United States recognizes it as a nonprofit as well. Recently, its impact has captured a lot of positive media attention.

Many other organizations aim to provide defendants with access to more lawyers. However, Justice Defenders works to train new lawyers who are living within the system. The organization believes that defendants have the ability to improve the justice system in Africa from the inside. The Defenders’ model has three core values: education, training and practice. Additionally, the organization partners with top law schools to train prisoners as lawyers and prison staff as paralegals. Furthermore, it runs clinics and offers free aid for those who would not have access otherwise.

Success Story

Morris Kaberia was a Kenyan police officer when he experienced imprisonment under robbery charges. However, he spent nine years waiting for his trial and in 2013, he received the death sentence. Fortunately, after meeting with members of Justice Defenders, he successfully appealed his case and effectively represented himself in court. Kaberia spent 13 years in prison before his release in 2018. Later, Kaberia studied law at the University of London and is currently representing other prisoners in Africa.

Justice Defenders have successfully served over 30,000 imprisoned clients and have trained over 300 paralegals in over 40 prisons in Uganda and Kenya. Furthermore, it has overturned over 150 sentences and has sent over 15,000 prisoners home to their families. This organization partners with the University of London and 91% of students pass courses offered. The organization’s website tracks and records many success stories of prisoners and students.

While there are still many flaws within justice systems in Africa, organizations such as Justice Defenders are positively instilling change from within the system. Furthermore, Mclean hopes to impact at least 1 million African prisoners within 10 years.

– Grace Wang
Photo: Flickr

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Women’s Education in India: What You Need to Know

Women’s Education in India, What You Need to KnowIn the fight against global poverty, women’s education in India is overlooked as a stimulant of change. Similarly, gender equality is a significant issue that prevails in India today. As a result of the country’s patriarchal structure, women continue to struggle to gain equal opportunities for success.

Women’s Rights in India

Throughout India’s long history, patriarchal and religious practices have greatly affected women’s rights. Misogynistic practices and ideas limit educational opportunities for women. Consequently, the reassertion of harmful gender roles is prevalent. 23 million girls drop out of school every year because communities are unwilling to provide proper feminine sanitation. This lack of women’s education hinders India’s economic and social growth.

Women also often take up domestic, unpaid labor because employers feel they are unqualified for employment. On average, women work six hours of unpaid domestic labor per day while men work 30 minutes of unpaid labor. This discrepancy severely limits women’s educational opportunities and ability to obtain employment. It also reinforces the belief that women are unable to provide for themselves and cannot actively contribute to the economy.

Women’s Education in India

Having equal access to education is crucial to alleviating poverty. According to the World Bank, countries with limited educational opportunities for women lose $15-$30 trillion in predicted lifetime earnings. Providing education for women helps strengthen female autonomy and allows them to contribute to the national economy.

Furthermore, educated women are less likely to marry young. According to The Tribune, women’s education could lead up to 60% fewer women getting pregnant under the age of 17. Educated women also have more opportunities to achieve higher socioeconomic status due to increased career avenues. By educating women and promoting gender equality, women are able to more confidently enter the workforce. Education is considered to be one of the best catalysts for sustainable growth within any country.

3 Organizations Promoting Women’s Education

Many organizations, including Pratham, Girl’s Who Code and Educate Girls Bond are fighting against global poverty by emphasizing the importance of gender equality and women’s education in India.

  1. Pratham: Founded in 1995, Pratham is an organization designed to improve education for children in Mumbai. Since then, it has grown in size and effectiveness. The organization seeks to provide necessary resources to educators in India, increasing the quality of education. Pratham has become well-established within the country’s educational system as an organization that developed testing programs for state governments and local communities. Pratham focuses on the implementation of grassroots initiatives and sustainable growth within local communities to educate children who are not receiving an adequate education. The organization makes yearly reports public for people to track their progress. In the year 2018, Pratham improved gender equality and education for 15.7 million children in India.
  2. Girls Who Code: Girls Who Code is an international organization that aims to provide opportunities for women to learn about and obtain specialized skills in computer science. Though the organization functions in many countries, its Indian branch is one of the most successful. After-school clubs and summer immersion programs are able to teach young girls valuable technical skills in a short period of time. Today, women hold only 26% of computer science employment positions. Girls Who Code acknowledges this and works to provide education for women to thrive in this field. The organization also provides scholarships to recognize students who excel in the programs. As of 2019, the organization has provided education for 300,000 girls at their camps.
  3. Educate Girls Bond: Educate Girls Bond is a Development Impact Bond that utilizes finances from independent investors to create new opportunities for girls’ education. As a part of this goal, the organization has created 166 schools in Rajasthan, North India. Educate Girls tackles gender inequality by addressing it as a social problem and showing its positive, social impact. The organization promotes gender equality by providing education for young girls throughout India. In just the first year, 44% of the targeted girls successfully enrolled in schools. This compels independent investors to continue their financial support while also attracting new investors to take part in this positive change.

Women’s education in India is often overlooked in the fight against poverty. However, promoting gender equality and providing equal access to education empowers women and boosts their socioeconomic status. Today, more women in India are able to contribute to the economy in ways that fight against poverty.

– Stella Vallon
Photo: Flickr

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Education in India During COVID-19

Education in India
Schools in India shut down in March 2020 due to COVID-19. While a lot of schools transitioned into online curriculums, many were unable to make this infrastructural shift. More than half of India’s population lives in rural areas. Furthermore, only 15% of rural households have access to the internet. The pandemic has put a spotlight on the digital divide within the country. NGOs, foundations and other social enterprises have become key to improving education in India.

Sampark

Sampark Foundation has reached more than 10 million children in six states throughout India. It focuses on education equality, providing low-cost educational services in order to broaden its reach. Sampark Smart Shala uses innovations such as board games, mobile applications and rechargeable audio devices to keep students engaged in lessons. These innovations specifically cater to students in rural areas.

Sampark’s COVID-19 response utilizes the national television channel Doordarshan and language-friendly apps to share quizzes and improve education in India. Furthermore, this organization posts ideas on a crowdsourced platform called Baithak for teachers to use. Teachers are also encouraged to keep in touch with their pupils.

Recently, Sampark has launched a program called Har Ghar Science STEM for Girls. This program’s goal is to establish science labs in rural schools and adopt an ascending approach to educating girls. As a result, education in India continues to evolve positively within rural communities.

Pratham

Pratham is an NGO based in Mumbai. Its goal is to bridge the gap in the Indian education system by implementing high-quality, low-cost and replicable interventions. This organization’s programs have improved education in India tremendously. Additionally, Pratham aids the government in encouraging children to regularly attend school. The organization relies on parents, local communities, volunteers and state governments to create personalized models of learning.

Currently, Pratham is working to engage underprivileged children and improve education in India through new programs. Karona Thodi Masti Thodi Padhai (Do it: A Little Fun, A Little Study) is a new program developed to aid students during the COVID-19 pandemic. This program uses popular messaging services, radio and WhatsApp to check in with students virtually. This new aspect of learning prioritizes “fun” and “study” to motivate students during this stressful time.

Eklavya

Eklavya is an NGO that works in education resource centers in Madhya Pradesh. This organization focuses on helping impoverished children become self-sufficient learners. Eklavya has published several books on education, children’s literature and other resource material, believing that education should be based on curiosity and experiences to motivate students. This NGO aims to enhance education in India by focusing on rural areas. Eklavya trains eligible parents, siblings and local youth to teach at well-ventilated spaces within local, socially distanced locations. Additionally, it has established a mobile-library system that rotates between localities.

Vidya

Vidya is an NGO that has served 3.7 million people in major cities such as Delhi, Gurgaon, Bangalore, Pune and Mumbai. This organization aims to provide education on life-skills, vocations and mental and physical wellbeing. Vidya’s goal is to improve education equality throughout India.

In response to the pandemic, Vidya developed strategies to combat the effects of COVID-19 on education in India. The NGO divided its solutions into technology and organization-based approaches. Solutions include reorganized exam schedules, adjusted syllabi and increased planning for a teaching aid for the next academic year.

The technological divide has made it difficult for students living in impoverished areas to access education in India. However, Vidya has received donations for phones, laptops and other devices to improve access to education. It arranges for students to pick up these devices at their convenience.

Thinkzone

Thinkzone is a social enterprise that aims to improve educational outcomes for children living in vulnerable communities. It uses “tech plus touch” models to combat inequality in education. Similar to other organizations, Thinkzone uses community-based approaches. This organization’s COVID-19 response is rooted in home-based learning that relies on phone calls and SMS to interact with parents who have started teaching their children. Fortunately, automated calls and interactive voice response technologies are accessible in many different languages. These automated calls provide pre-recorded course material to improve education in India.

This organization also strives to train community educators and assess the needs of students for further improvement. Furthermore, Thinkzone has partnered with various organizations and the government to improve education in India. Its home-based initiative has successfully reached more than 10,000 children in India.

These organizations have taken significant steps to improve education in India and aid the government in creating a more sustainable way of learning. With improved access to technology, education equality will continue to improve long after the pandemic has ended.

– Anuja Mukherjee 
Photo: Flickr

The Response to STIs in Tanzania

STIs in Tanzania
In spite of medical advances, diseases continue to thrive in the world. Those affected suffer severe illness and even death in many cases. The most troublesome factor is that the majority of diseases are either curable or highly preventable. For example, STIs in Tanzania are prevalent but preventable.

History with Disease

Disease is not an altogether new issue within Tanzania. The African continent in particular has been host to a large percentage of notable diseases, such as malaria and Ebola. In fact, 94% of malaria cases worldwide occurred in Africa in 2019. Yet, when it comes to preventable diseases, most of the African continent has shown exceptional preparedness concerning preventable diseases in comparison to other countries.

In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, Africa had some of the lowest case rates in the world, despite its large populace. Some have attributed this to Africa’s experience with multiple past outbreaks. Many African countries that the disease ravaged had become experts in preventative healthcare measures. The continent displayed a greater sense of governmental readiness, such as sanitation standards to dissuade future diseases. Other measures include “isolating the infected, tracing their contacts and getting them quarantine while they get tested.”

How STI Transmission is Different

Cases of death due to STIs is high. The WHO estimated that over 90,000 people died as a result of STIs in Africa in 2004. The majority of individuals who contract STIs in Tanzania are young; most individuals with STIs in Tanzania are between the ages of 15-22. The high youth population is one component of the high STI rates. Another is education.

Reports found that adolescents throughout sub-Saharan Africa used condoms infrequently and practiced other high-risk sexual behaviors. Chlamydia, syphilis and gonorrhea specifically have a reported prevalence of 0.4% to 5% in Tanzania. One can attribute this to the lack of educational awareness in Tanzania regarding safe sex and the effects of STIs in general. A study showed that less than 15% of children in secondary school had an effective knowledge basin regarding STI symptoms. Further, it reported that only 50% of males and less than 33% of females 15-30 years old possessed any effective knowledge concerning STI transmission.

Tanzania is not sitting idly by during this crisis. Rather, the country is tackling this issue multi-directionally.

Tanzania’s Fight Against STIs

In response, both NGOs and the government have been working to combat the high rate of STIs in Tanzania. NGOs have been focusing on educating people about this issue and have shown positive results. The African Youth Alliance program exemplifies this, which encourages protected sex for males and females. A study found that young people visited clinics and outreach services over 2.5 million times as a result of this program. The Tanzanian government is also striving to provide life-saving aid. Its proposed healthcare financial strategy focuses on combating HIV. The emphasis will be on increasing health insurance coverage and economic improvement overall.

The country still has a long way to go in fighting STIs in Tanzania. However, increasing education and governmental intervention are steps in the right direction. Improved public health and an economy not directed at disease control might be on the near horizon for Tanzania.

– Jacob Hurwitz
Photo: Flickr

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3 Standout Indonesian Youth Programs

Indonesian Youth Programs
Around 85 million children live in Indonesia, making up one-third of the country’s population. Children are necessary for their country’s future, and the education and opportunities they receive are what allow them to have that impact. That is why it is important for children to have programs and organizations that give them more opportunities and allows them to realize their full potential. Several Indonesian youth programs provide these opportunities to children in Indonesia. The Indonesia Youth Foundation, Indonesian Youth Opportunities in International Networking (IYOIN) and Indonesian Youth Diplomacy are prime examples of Indonesian youth programs that aid children in education, provide resources and give them outlets to channel their passions.

Indonesia Youth Foundation

The Indonesia Youth Foundation began on July 23, 2020, as a non-governmental organization. Its objectives include connecting the children of Indonesia and other global youth through a variety of youth activities, offering general knowledge about the country and taking part in world advancement and the development of youth.

One can track the organization’s Youth Empowerment program through a series of articles on the organization’s official website, each entry providing tips on subjects such as boosting productivity and caring for mental health. Also featured is information on education and tourism to provide a better understanding of Indonesia.

Indonesian Youth Opportunities in International Networking

Indonesian youths created IYOIN in 2015. Since then, the self-started Indonesian youth program has spread across several different regions in Indonesia, with 18 local chapters.

The purpose of this organization is to serve as a medium for children in Indonesia to congregate, share and work together to realize their values for the country. The opportunities that this program provides also aim to improve the Indonesian youths’ education and to ensure that the youth will have the qualifications to tackle their futures successfully.

IYOIN became a United Nations SDSN Youth Member in 2017, a program that works to guarantee education that is inclusive and equal for all, in addition to encouraging learning opportunities. IYOIN joined this program because these goals align with its own mission.

Indonesian Youth Diplomacy

Indonesian Youth Diplomacy is a nonprofit Indonesian youth program that promotes and provides international exposure and empowers the next generation of Indonesian leaders. Known initially as G20 Youth Indonesia, efforts to form the organization began in 2010. This process continued in 2011 when the Indonesian Organizing Committee emerged to recruit Indonesian youth interested in contributing to the annual G20 Youth Summit. Recognizing the necessity of involving Indonesian youth in diplomacy beyond what the G20 program provides, the organization updated in 2013. Now known as the Indonesian Youth Diplomacy, it sends Indonesia’s promising young leaders to represent the country in international forums to raise awareness of diplomacy.

Youth programs can offer multiple benefits to children. They provide youth with quality education, a chance to involve themselves in their community and learn essential life skills and create a healthy social environment. All three of the organizations give these opportunities to the children of Indonesia. These Indonesian youth programs are crucial to allow children to spread their wings and learn since the youth are the backbone of their country.

– Celia Brocker
Photo: Flickr

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Improving Education for Children in Cambodia

Education for Children in CambodiaAround 30% of the population in Cambodia lives below the poverty line. Poverty affects children significantly. More than 10% of children in Cambodia do not have access to education and roughly 44.8% (1.52 million) of children aged 5-14 are economically active. Organizations are working to improve access to education for children in Cambodia, especially those living in poverty.

The Prevalence of Child Labor in Cambodia

The reason child labor is so prevalent is that many Cambodian families cannot afford to send their children to school and are in desperate financial circumstances. The costs involved in sending children to school include textbooks, uniforms and transport which families cannot afford. In the rural areas of Siem Reap Province, many people live below the poverty line on less than a dollar each day. As a result, they have to choose between food or education for their children. This forces children to work instead of going to school so they can help support their families.

Lack of education along with insufficient nutrition leaves children developmentally behind. Education is a lifeline for children to rise out of poverty but some children simply cannot afford the luxury of learning.

Rebuilding School’s in Cambodia

Part of the problem is the lack of schools in Cambodia. In the rural areas, there are few schools. One can trace this back to when the Khmer Rouge took control in Cambodia in 1975. Not only did schools close but the buildings either underwent destruction or the government took them over for use.

Many Cambodian teachers and students lost their lives at this time as well because intellectuals posed a threat to the society the Khmer Rouge was trying to create. Roughly 75-90% of teachers, 96% of university students and 67% of all primary and secondary school students died in the massacre that lasted from 1975 to 1979.

Rebuilding has been an essential part of improving Cambodian children’s education, a process that continues to this day. In 2020, the Cambodia International Charity Organization, a Chinese-run NGO, constructed a two-classroom school building for Treap Primary School in a remote village. The school headmaster said the existing school building has been deteriorating, making it difficult for children to learn when it rains.

The Cambodian Children’s Fund

This nonprofit organization emerged in 2004 with the mission of “transforming the lives of the most impoverished, marginalized and neglected children in Cambodia through high-quality education, leadership training and direct support programs.” The Cambodian Children’s Fund (CCF) works on the ground directly with children who are the most affected by poverty most effects and its programs have positively impacted the education of many impoverished Cambodian children.

In 2019, 1,855 children enrolled in programs that the CCF offered. The pass rate for students taking their grade 12 exams who had involvement with the organization was 84% in comparison to the nation’s 67%. The program also saw 33 university graduates in 2019, marking a total of 84 CCF graduates who have moved on from the program as successful young adults.

Sophy’s Story

Sophy Ron is one of the many people the Cambodian Children’s Fund has helped. Sophy was 11 years old when the organization found her. She did not go to school and made a living selling items she could salvage from a landfill site. After the Cambodian Children’s Fund took her in and sponsored her, Sophy was able to pursue an education. In 2019, Sophy completed her first year of university after earning a scholarship to Trinity College at the University of Melbourne in Australia and gave the valedictorian speech for the graduating class of 2019.

While education is a key factor to help children like Sophy rise out of poverty, without the opportunities and resources available to impoverished families, education remains out of reach. Organizations like the Cambodian Children’s Fund and the Cambodia International Charity Organization make education for children in Cambodia a priority, ensuring that the cycle of poverty can break.

– Celia Brocker
Photo: Flickr

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How Solar Tablets Are Educating Communities in Mozambique

Solar TabletsMozambique, a country of more than 30 million people, is stepping up to conquer the digital division they face from the rest of the world through the use of solar tablets.

Mozambique, a primarily rural country, faces a vast digital divide from the rest of the world. In fact, nearly 65% of the country consists of rural communities. That is to say, within these areas, poverty rates are high and resources for education are low. However, one Mozambican man is here to bridge the digital and educational gaps with solar tablets.

Community Tablet

In response to his country’s digital deficit, Dayn Amade, a father and entrepreneur, created a solution to the problem. Thus he began Community Tablet, the first Mozambican digital school powered by solar tablets.

These solar tablets are an innovative collaboration of community awareness and emerging technology. Pulled by trucks or donkeys, the four to six solar-powered LCD screens can travel just about anywhere throughout Mozambique. Each screen is an interactive smart board connected to cameras and one larger community screen, allowing all to play and watch. The tablet connects to the internet through satellite and the Global System for Mobile Communications. Whatsmore, inside the base, a cold chain chamber provides a fridge for storing and transporting items such as vaccines. This compartment plays a vital role in Amade’s education as he can distribute medicines after educating communities about the need for them.

Amade’s inspiration came from seeing his children’s eagerness towards and success learning on their tablets. Additionally, after watching various organizations visit his community to teach, he realized they left no lasting impact. These groups often hand out educational pamphlets that many villagers can not read due to a low literacy rate. Furthermore, unrelatable images within the lessons make it much harder to connect with the locals. As Amade sees it, “Aid efforts are being hampered by a failure to educate people on the question of why prevention is needed, and by organizations’ ability to tailor messages to local communities.”

Solar Tablet Solutions

Though his solar tablets and educational courses have seen success, there have been bumps along the way. To create a tool that translates well into curated animations and instructional lessons, Amade sought partnerships with anthropologists from top universities in Mozambique. Together, they carefully customize informative lessons relatable to the local communities they visit.

As a result, they have created their programs with relevant images, local fashion and local dialect. With these lessons, students take a quiz after to help solidify their understanding of concepts.

Community Tablet Impact

As Amade provides solar solutions to off-grid communities who have never connected to the world beyond their own, the successes speak for themself.

Amade has been on the road for three years, speaking on mobile banking, HIV prevention, contraceptives, local politics and more. The results from his campaigns are growing.

So far, Community Tablet’s impact shows:

  • 31 districts visited
  • 1,900 people reached
  • 45% voter increase
  • 27% increase in family planning contraceptives
  • 68% newly opened bank accounts

Beyond these numbers, using solar tablets for e-learning breaks educational boundaries and brings hope to communities. With tablets, accessibility is no issue. Tablets are bigger and better for learning than a phone. With a tablet’s size and sturdiness, it is far easier to read, type and watch learning modules. Moreover, solar tablets are low-carbon learning tools that use lower amounts of energy and produce fewer emissions. Additionally, tablets mean less use of printers, litter and minimize costs of learning.

Lastly, incorporating tablets into education allows towns to learn together without feeling like their privacy is being invaded. The tablets are strictly for learning, meaning no one has to share their phone and no distractions. Finally, there is a way for off-grid populations to connect and learn, hone skills and build a new way of life.

As can be seen, these solar tablets and the push for digital literacy is helping these rural communities step into the 21st century.

– Sallie Blackmon
Photo: Tablet Comunitario