Education is a fundamental human right. Millions of children are robbed of an education because of who they are, where the live or grew up, what social class they are born into and their gender.

Many are deprived of learning because they are caught up in emergencies, face extreme poverty or have one disability or the other. This unfortunately is the reality of our society today. We see these disadvantaged children every day and at some point we come in contact with them. Many times we go past them without pausing to think, why that child is in the streets and not in a classroom acquiring essential life skills and knowledge he or she would need to make a better future for themselves?

Children are like a plain canvas, they are curious, watching, observing, learning waiting to be written on or filled with knowledge. In a classroom a child could learn so much. The basics of how to read and write, social and communication skills. By learning how to speak for themselves, their thinking skills are developed. They take the first steps in acquiring specialized skills, learning to be productive and applying themselves. They learn the way the world around them works, discovering their talents and career paths.

According to Save the Children nearly 400 million children of primary school age cannot read or write. More than half of all three to six year olds have no access to pre-primary education and 25 million children will never enroll in school.

Without quality basic education, children are less likely to escape the cycle of poverty and may never have the opportunity to fulfill their true potential. We see a lot of children that end up as workers in a motor pack all their lives, some remain as petty street traders, many venture into crime, and many lose their lives. Under aged pregnancy is most common amongst uneducated folk, if only these people as children had access to quality education things could have turned out so differently.

A child’s early years are crucial for building foundations for a life of learning. At Bethesda we work in impoverished communities to create safe and stimulating learning environments, using education as a safety net for all children in our society. Come be a part of our journey.