français

“At the desk where I sit, I have learned one great truth: The answer for all our national problems — the answer for all the problems of the world — comes to a single word. That word is ‘education.’” -Former United States President, Lyndon B. Johnson
Where would you like to go?

At Free The Children, we believe that education provides the highest return of any social investment in the developing world. Through the education component of our Adopt a Village model, donors can help to build schools and libraries, and purchase school furniture, uniforms and basic school supplies. They can also contribute to salaries, in-services, certification trainings and on-site living accommodations for our oversees educators. Together, these projects create a holistic education model, which empowers children and entire communities to break the cycle of poverty for future generations.

the issues.

Imagine you couldn’t read or write. Imagine you knew nothing of the world that exists beyond your hometown. Imagine you had no idea how to prevent common illnesses that were devastating your community. Or worse yet, imagine you didn’t even know your basic human rights, let alone how to fight for them.

For the 121 million primary-aged children who aren’t in school, there’s no need to imagine—this is their painful reality. Without access to an education, these children remain voiceless and the cycle of poverty continues.

  • Worldwide, 121 million children of primary school age are not in school.
  • An estimated 158 million children aged 5-14 are engaged in child labour—one in six children in the world.
  • About one in five adults in today’s world—774 million people—is illiterate.
  • It would cost less than 1% of the world’s annual weapons budget to put every child in school.

motony, kenya

Changing Lives: Meet Naomi

When Naomi Cherotich was in the first grade she attended an overcrowded and dirty school in her hometown of Motony, Kenya. The school was so congested that Naomi’s teacher often conducted lessons outdoors under a tree; however, whenever it rained, the lessons would not take place. Due to the poor educational environment, Naomi’s mother, Esther, chose to send her daughter to live with distant relatives. They lived in a town about 30 kilometres away from Motony, and their school was neither overcrowded nor dirty. For many years, Naomi lived with these relatives and received a quality education.

When Naomi was in the sixth grade, her relatives and caregivers made the decision that she was ready to be circumcised. They started preparing for her ceremony, which would signify the end of her education and the beginning of her entry to womanhood.

In the meantime, Free The Children had constructed 11 classrooms, a library, teachers’ offices and water pipes in Naomi’s hometown. Thanks to Adopt a Village and the support of young people across North America, Naomi could now live at home with her mother and attend a quality school right in her community. In the nick of time, her mother heard about her daughter’s upcoming circumcision ceremony and was able to rescue her from the procedure and bring her home.

Naomi now lives with her mother, attends school, and is a great advocate of women’s rights in the new school. She says, “I would love to be able to help my fellow villagers in the community like my mom helped me.”

read more >< less

get involved!

You can help give every child an education. Here’s how:
1 Fundraise to build a school. 2 Take the Vow of Silence for children who can’t speak for themselves. 3 Fundraise for school supplies and desks for children in need.
Bring global education issues into your classroom. Follow these steps:
1 Start a class-wide Youth in Action group to build a school. 2 Download our curriculum on global education. 3 Book a speaker to share the issues with your students.
Show your kids you care by making global education a part of the family. Here’s how:
1 Download our Family Kit for more info on making a difference. 2 Take a family volunteer trip overseas and build a school. 3 Donate to education projects overseas.
Follow these steps to make global education your business’ number one cause:
1 Start an office fundraiser to build a school overseas. 2 Take a staff volunteer trip to build a school in a developing community. 3 Donate to our Adopt a Village education projects.
You’re on: AAV: Education page! Looking for a different pillar? Try our Alternative Income, Health, or Water pages. Still not finding what you want? Try here >
Together We Can Change the World.