Why Education for All?
Today, 72 million children around the world are denied the opportunity to go to school.
These children could be the next generation's leaders, sport stars, doctors and teachers. But without an education they are confined to a life of poverty. They’re ready to do their homework - but school fees, conflict, working in factories and farms, losing their parents to sickness, the cost of a school uniform or sometimes simply being a girl keeps them from being able to attend school. Whatever their background - orphans, refugees, poor, disabled, child soldiers, child labourers, from disadvantaged backgrounds – the result is the same – denied the chance to learn they will never be able to fulfil their potential.
Education beats Poverty – and enables people to help themselves. Education is key to breaking the cycle of poverty for families, communities and whole countries.
- It leads to economic growth, democracy and a more stable future.
- Education is the best tool we have for tackling poverty, and it is the one investment that ultimately pays for itself: When a child gets educated, they will eventually earn more and be better able to support their family.
- A child who goes to school will earn an extra 10% for every year of schooling they receive and be 50% less likely to become infected with HIV/AIDS if the complete Primary School.
Sofia
“I am Sofia from Tanzania. I am 13 years old..
I would really like to go to school one day and be like the other girls in their school uniforms. I know if I go to school, one day I will be able to help my family, as I will get a good job that pays well.
I used to spend my days herding cattle and goats for my father but most of them died because of the drought. Right now my father is very sick and they have taken him to a distant hospital for treatment - I wish I could do something to help him.
These days, I help my mother selling fruits at market as well as doing my chores at home. And, when my mother gets sick, I have to go to the market alone as we need that money to buy food and other necessities.”
I would really like to go to school one day and be like the other girls in their school uniforms. I know if I go to school, one day I will be able to help my family, as I will get a good job that pays well.
I used to spend my days herding cattle and goats for my father but most of them died because of the drought. Right now my father is very sick and they have taken him to a distant hospital for treatment - I wish I could do something to help him.
These days, I help my mother selling fruits at market as well as doing my chores at home. And, when my mother gets sick, I have to go to the market alone as we need that money to buy food and other necessities.”
Pedro
“This is me, Pedro. I live in a refugee camp called El Triunfo in Guatemala. I was born here. Until a few years ago people were fighting a very long, very bloody war in my country. At that time, life where my parents used to live was very dangerous and my parents had to leave their village and come here to the camp to find safety. They tell me that after they left the village, their house, the school and the whole village were destroyed.
Although the camp is not like a village, we are doing our best to make it a good place to live in. In the mornings, I help my mother to make the tortilla and then go with my father to look after the animals. The best thing is that in the afternoons I go to school. For a long time there was no school here, but now I go every day. This is very important to me because I want to be a doctor when I grow up, so that I can look after people where we live.”
Although the camp is not like a village, we are doing our best to make it a good place to live in. In the mornings, I help my mother to make the tortilla and then go with my father to look after the animals. The best thing is that in the afternoons I go to school. For a long time there was no school here, but now I go every day. This is very important to me because I want to be a doctor when I grow up, so that I can look after people where we live.”