Children’s education around the world took a massive hit from the dire effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. To help curb the spread of the virus and protect the children, schools closed their doors and tried their best to transition to remote learning. But this posed a significant problem. Many children in underserved communities don’t have the proper equipment for remote learning. It’s still early to tell, especially because the pandemic is still ongoing. But this would have significant effects on the education outcomes of children. School completion rates and passing rates in exams would go downward.
Luckily, there are many nonprofit organizations around that world working tirelessly for children’s education. They created innovative solutions to bridge the digital divide between children who have access to online education and those who could not. They are here to make sure that no child gets left behind when it comes to education.
For the Most Underserved: Anseye Pou Ayiti
Haiti is among the most struggling countries in the world. Seventy-four percent of the country’s population lives in rural areas and below the poverty line. Thirty-seven percent are considered living in extreme poverty. Because of these high rates of poverty, it’s not surprising that the education outcomes are low. Only about 30 percent of children can complete their primary education. Only one percent get to go to colleges and universities for their undergraduate education.
Fortunately, Anseye Pou Ayiti is dedicated to raising the educational outcomes of Haiti’s children. The organization members believe that all children, despite their socioeconomic status, should have access to quality education. They’ll be more inclined to become active civic leaders in their respective communities because they’ll be educated. They will be the future shakers that would help lift their fellow Haitians out of poverty.
Reaching More Girls: WomenOne
Countless major issues are affecting the world right now. There’s the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, then poverty, climate change, overpopulation, and many others. It seems impossible to solve these issues all at once. This is why even the United Nations (UN) had to break down these issues and their respective solutions. They had to create the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). But many people would argue that there’s one significant solution that can lead to a cascading effect that can solve many other issues. And that is to educate more girls.
Nonprofits such as WomenOne believe that if more women are educated, there will be fewer girls getting pregnant before they’re ready. There will be fewer children dying because of extreme poverty. There will be lower rates of all types of discrimination and violence. By reaching more girls, we could even say that we’re changing the world for the better.
Empowerment with Tech: Kids in Tech
The digital divide has always been an issue concerning teachers, parents, and other community members. This was the case even before the pandemic and the subsequent school closures. Some children are fortunate enough to have access to various gadgets that can help them with their schoolwork. Some children, unfortunately, do not have access to such gadgets.
Luckily, there’s Kids in Tech, a nonprofit dedicated to honing children’s interest in tech and making it accessible to more students. What’s even better is that this nonprofit is training kids in STEM fields. This would be beneficial for them in the long run. This is because, as reported by the World Economic Forum, jobs in STEM fields would be the driving force of the economy. Children could turn to a nonprofit like Kids in Tech to learn more about technology even if they come from underserved communities and couldn’t afford a laptop.
Balance Between Work and Play: Playworks
Many of us tend to forget sometimes that play is an integral part of early childhood education. Recess and other break times during their day are in their schedules for a reason. And that’s because they can learn valuable life skills from playing. They’ll be more skilled in resolving conflicts, showing leadership, and developing logical mindsets.
This is why Playworks is dedicated to ensuring that all children can play as much as they study. To them, childhood shouldn’t be all about schoolwork. It should also be about playing games, making friends, and generally having an enjoyable time.
Among many other things, children’s education should always be something that we’re investing in. By making sure that they all have proper access to quality education, we’re securing their futures. And by securing their futures, we’re also overcoming the many issues that the world is facing.