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Hearts & Minds - Information for ChangeSM
Learning to End Poverty
The great value of educating all the
world's children
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The foundation of every state is the education of
its youth.
- Diogenes Laertius
Overview of the problem
A life without education is a shadow of its potential. Even one life like
that is a loss. For 115 million school age children worldwide, the results
can be tragic.
Imagine living on less than a dollar a day, with no
chance to learn, get a decent job or ever lift yourself from poverty.
But we have the power to change this.
Education gives kids the basic skills for a better
life. As our global economy becomes increasingly information-centered,
school is more important than ever.
Where and why
Most uneducated children are in developing countries. About 57%
of all children not in school are girls.
A child’s right to a basic education can be threatened
by poverty, war, disaster and disabilities:
Poverty: 985 million people live in extreme
poverty. They can’t afford an education or need their children to work.
Conflict, war or disaster: With basic survival
at stake, education is often neglected. About half of the world’s uneducated
kids live in countries in conflict.
Disabilities: An estimated 40 million
un-enrolled children have some type of disability.
Kids on the street, indigenous children, and the
children of nomads and seasonal workers may also be denied an education.
Education makes it much easier to solve these
problems.
How education helps countries
Education gives children far more opportunities to better themselves and
their communities. For example, during a crisis, education gives children
something normal in their lives and gives them the skills they need to
rebuild their community. On the other hand, uneducated children are easier
to recruit for criminal gangs and terrorist organizations.
Each time a child gets an education, many people
benefit.
Impact story
Evelyn is a six-year-old Filipino girl whose parents don’t earn enough money
to support their family of eight. She and her siblings collect things from a
trash heap to sell. Now, thanks to an aid project, Evelyn gets rice and a
bus to school. Because she has more food and stays out of the dangerous
trash heap, Evelyn can concentrate on school. She is determined to finish
her education so she can become a teacher for other poor children.
What’s being done
The UN Millennium Development Goals set a deadline of 2015 for all children
to be able to get a basic education. Also, many organizations are demanding
governments begin working on the Education for All goals agreed on by 185
nations – almost every nation on the planet – at Dakar in April 2000.
The UN and its partners are working on problems that keep kids out of school. They are making progress in ending
conflicts and crises, providing education for those still caught in crises,
and helping children with disabilities, indigenous and nomadic children.
We, Hearts & Minds, support an even more ambitious,
innovative and achievable program.
What you can do
There’s plenty we can do! You can join the
End Poverty Campaign or send this
letter to your elected representatives.
Thanks for your interest.
Remember, every child has something to offer. When they get an education,
our world is richer, too. Education for all children is an integral part of
our End Poverty Campaign. Get involved!
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by Katie Lusk, Hearts & Minds intern
Copyrights: Entire website © 1997 - 2007 by
Hearts and Minds Network, Inc. This web page - http://www.heartsandminds.org/education/global.htm - online June
17, 2007, latest changes June 19, 2007 |