NewHopeBenin

The Education Imperative
Worldwide, 75 million children ages 6-11 years old are out of school. Almost 1/3 of all school-aged children in Sub-Sahara Africa are not in school, and the majority of them are girls. Sub-Sahara Africa also has the highest rate of child workers.

Education of all children but especially girls has proven to:

• Improve child health: educated mothers marry later, have fewer children, receive better prenatal care and know how to provide better nutrition for their children.
• Prevent child labor, child trafficking and sexual exploitation.
• Protect youth against HIV/AIDS by delaying marriage.
• Increase life expectancy.
• Reduce poverty: an adult with a primary school education earns twice as much as adults without schooling.
• Enhance farm productivity through better farming practices.
• Build democracy: informed citizens are more likely to participate in the political process.

It is not enough to simply enroll children in primary school; children must stay in school and complete a minimum of five years for basic literacy. Shockingly, 150 million children who are enrolled in school will drop out before completing elementary school, at least 100 million of these are girls. In the least developed countries, forty percent of primary school children drop out, and 1 in 3 does not complete the 5 years of school necessary for basic literacy. Only 25% of boys and 14% of girls who complete primary school go on to secondary school.

Extreme poverty is the main obstacle for kids’ education. With over half of the world’s population living on less than $2 a day, many families simply cannot afford to pay school fees. In the 68 developing countries where school is free, the cost of uniforms, books and supplies keep school out of reach for too many. Additionally, many poor families need their children to help farm or take care of younger siblings, with a particular impact on girls. Even when education is attainable, many schools suffer from poor quality due to lack of government resources for basic supplies such as books and desks, poorly trained teachers and overcrowded classrooms.

New Hope Benin’s scholarships and assistance help overcome many of the barriers that keep kids from education. The project’s continued involvement in the student’s families, schools and community further ensures hopeful futures.

For more information visit:

• Why is Education Important?
• World Bank
• Girl’s, Education and Development, UNICEF
• 2000 A Better World for All
• The Extent of the Problem, UNESCO

“Education is about more than just learning. It saves lives: from the teenagers it protects against HIV/AIDS to the babies saved by their mothers’ knowledge of health and nutrition. It transforms lives: from the adolescents given the opportunity to lift themselves out of poverty to the girls it gives a new sense of self-esteem and status in society. It enriches lives: from the refugee child given stability even in an emergency camp to 12-year-old Sadiqa in Kabul, who spent three months of her winter vacation studying in catch-up classes so she could make up for the years of missed opportunities, and who dreamed of one day being President of Afghanistan.”
        - Carol Bellamy, Executive Director, UNICEF