I don’t think I ever really felt as if I fitted in at school. I did OK. There was nothing in my results to raise alarms. I just did what I did and was more than happy to leave that world behind at the end of my schooling. Having said that, I am incredibly thankful that I was able to have the education I did. While I didn’t really value it at the time, it has helped to set me up for all the years since.
A lot of us in places like Australia are less than keen about school in our early years. However, I see a real contrast when I visit churches partnering with Compassion in developing countries. Wherever I’ve traveled I meet children who are incredibly thankful for the opportunity to learn. Here, everyone gets to go to school. In many other countries it’s not like that.
Take, for instance, Togo where over half the population on A$2 or less a day. The average cost of a grade nine textbook in Togo is more than six times this amount. Imagine paying a week’s wage for just one textbook.
Even if children do get the opportunity to go to school, most will never have the opportunity for higher learning. Only 14% of students that finish secondary school in Sri Lanka will go on to enrol in tertiary education, compared to 86% in Australia. In Africa, only 8% of young people enrol in tertiary education, compared to a world average of 27%.
Thankfully Compassion is working to help young people bridge some of those gaps.
Education is a powerful way to reduce poverty. Every child in Compassion’s programs will have the opportunity to go to school and receive an education. But for thousands of these children, breaking the cycle of poverty requires extra educational support to see them succeed and thrive.
Compassion staff knows each individual child’s strengths, struggles and dreams for the future. They understand their specific education needs—and how meeting those needs can help them overcome poverty.
From vocational training and university education, to computer labs and libraries, from literacy and numeracy tutoring, to textbooks and classrooms, Compassion child development centres tailor their education programs to meet children’s individual needs. It’s an approach that helps to release children from poverty in Jesus’ name.
Compassion’s approach is working but there’s much more to be done. It’s not only Compassion who thinks that their programs are making a difference.
THE WYDICK RESEARCH
Compassion child sponsorship, and the educational support it includes, has clear, positive outcomes for children living in poverty. Independent research conducted over three years by Dr Bruce Wydick and his team found numerous benefits for former Compassion sponsored children compared to their non-sponsored peers.
• They stayed in school for an average of 1 to 1.46 years longer;
• Were 14 to 18 per cent more likely to have salaried employment as an adult, and;
• On average, were 50 to 80 per cent more likely to complete a university education.
Compassion is currently running an Education Appeal to help ensure that young people don’t fall at the first hurdle when they’re setting out on life.
Right now there are thousands of children and young people who have great talents and abilities, but lack the resources to reach their potential. Your generous support will help give children around the world the extra educational support they need to live free from poverty. Please donate to this year’s Compassion Appeal to help provide children with life-changing education and skills that will impact all areas of their life.
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