Are our children really learning? This question is on the minds of millions of parents, teachers and stakeholders in sub-Sahara Africa who are concerned about the quality of education in the region. According to Africa Learning Barometer, over 61 million primary school going children in sub-Saharan Africa will reach adolescence without basic writing, numeracy and life skills to equip them for productive and successful lives. These are mostly poor children from rural areas and urban slum settlements that are greatly disadvantaged compared to their more privileged peers.
The situation is no different in Kenya where despite high enrollment numbers, most children in the public primary system are learning in schools that lack basic resources and essential components for holistic and quality learning. Working with such schools in poor, rural communities has given us an opportunity to interact with amazing children who have great potential but are unfortunately likely to stagnate in life if they’re not equipped with knowledge and skills to help them grow and thrive socially and economically. If this situation is not addressed, children, families and communities will continue to lag behind socially and economically.
Nelson Mandela aptly described education as the most powerful weapon we can use to change the world. An educated community has the capacity and potential to drive positive and transformative change in society. This is why we chose to act and make a difference – one school at a time. By providing school lunches, water, books, learning aids, teacher training, infrastructure upgrades and life skills training; we’re ensuring disadvantaged children access higher quality education and actually learn. We do this because when one child achieves their potential, a family thrives. Imagine the impact when millions of children are given a chance to live productive and fulfilling lives.
