Education - a way out of poverty
130 million girls all over the world do not attend school and many will never get the chance to learn to read and write. According to Unicef, almost one out of five girls in the world, marries before they turn 18 years old. In Ethiopia, only half of the population is able to read and write and poverty is widely spread.
For poor people in rural areas, education is often a distant dream. We work together with a local organization called 3D Hope For Tomorrow, to provide children in rural areas with education, water, hygiene, health and food.
There are many obstacles standing in the way of a girl's education. Poverty is a major reason why parents marry off their girls. The risk of being exposed to child marriage is more common for girls who come from poor backgrounds in rural areas and who have not had access to education. They often see a marriage as the best way to secure the future of their daughters. It is taken for granted that girls should be at home, helping out with household chores and taking care of siblings. Through education, it is possible for girls to have a change - they need to be aware of their rights and possibilities. In general, children who goes to school do not marry - that is the reason why education is an effective way of preventing child marriage.
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The right to education
We want to strengthen girls' rights and opportunities to education. Everyone, even boys, wins from equality.
Child Mercy Sweden are aiming to make education possible for girls, since that will increase girls possibility to decide over their own lives. Education opens up for getting a better employment. Research shows that each year a girl continues her studies after elementary school, will increase her future income with ten percent. In this way, educated girls can both give their children better conditions, and be a positive force in the development of the society. When society provides for opportunity to live full lives for girls and young women and thus gain the power to decide over their everyday life and their future, we get a better world. All children have the right to a safe and good education.
Child Mercy Sweden are building schools, educating teachers, working to change the view of girls and working on making it possible to have schools that are welcoming everyone. One of the goals is for there to be as many boys as girls in the schools. We contribute to more than 3,000 children and young people having the opportunity to go to school every year. These are students from preschool classes up to university level. Education is of great importance in reducing poverty in the long run.
When children get the opportunity for education, they also get new dreams for the future. Many people begin to dream of a profession and hope is ignited in both children and parents. We have been involved in giving support to the students from the village schools, who have moved on to even higher education and today they are nurses, economists, car mechanics, agronomists and engineers etc.
Education is a way out of poverty!
Objectives
- That everyone regardless of gender, ethnic group,
religion or age shall get to go to school - That every student receives school materials
- To offer the students’ health check-ups
- That the girls in need shall get a Hygiene package to be able
to attend school without a break during their menstruation - That there should be toilets in the schools
- That there should be access to water in the school areas
- To provide the poor families food packages
- To provide preventative information about HIV/AIDS, Covid-19,
family planning and drugs etc. - To provide study support for future education
Child Mercy Sweden works together with local organisations, village chiefs, municipal leaders and parents. The dialogue with the village inhabitants and the local anchoring is important for a long term change in the perception of education and, not the least, for girls' right to education. Education helps young people to leave poverty and is a fundamental human right. Many young people in Ethiopia need economical aid to afford to study. With new monthly donors, we will be able to help more people reach their dreams.
Besazh dreams of becoming a teacher
Besazh* is born in the village Harru. She is in her last year of High School and her dream is to become a High School teacher.
When I grew up, it wasn't obvious to go to school and hunger at home was difficult. It forced us children to work daily to get something to eat, but then we found out about the school in Harru. It actually changed my whole life. When I started school, I gained new friends and basic knowledge of how to take care for myself and protect myself from illness and infection. Because my family was very poor, I received a school support to be able to go to school. The support was crucial for my parents to be able to approve my schooling. I am now in my last year of High School and just want to say thank you for all the support you have given me over the years, and for not leaving me, but giving me the opportunity to go to school. It has changed my entire future. Thank you!
*Besazh has a different name in reality.