What Is the Role of Education in Poverty Reduction?
The role of education in poverty reduction is significant. The World Bank estimates that 53 percent of children living in low- and middle-income nations are classified as “in-school non-learners,” meaning they are enrolled in school but do not retain the things they learn.[1] This is why GFA World’s Child Sponsorship Program is so essential. We provide assistance that leads to literacy and educational success.
Neale is a great example of how the assistance of GFA World pays off.[2] The eight-year-old lives in a poor area of Asia. Since he didn’t always have the bus fare to make it to school, his grades began to drop. Neale’s teacher understood the situation and jumped into action. She showed up at his house with a solution in mind and began to share about GFA’s Child Sponsorship Program. Neale’s parents agreed to enroll him.
It wasn’t long before Neale was receiving tutoring help from the program. The caring adults reviewed the school lessons with him and assisted him with his homework. Along with tutoring, Neale also received nutritious food and school supplies. This relieved the financial burden on the family. They had one less mouth to feed and were no longer responsible for paying for the bus fare and school supplies.
“The staff saw to his every need, wanting to help Neale achieve his dream,” according to a GFA World field report. “They offered all sorts of guidance, instilling within him the discipline he needed to advance his education and grow as an individual. Little by little, as Neale’s grades rose, so did his hope. That good job he wanted didn’t seem so distant now; helping his mother didn’t seem so impossible now.”[3]
When kids receive an education, they receive more than just training in reading, writing and arithmetic. They receive the ability to hope and dream. They can look beyond their present circumstances that are clouded with poverty and glimpse a brighter future. They know that because of their education, they are qualified for higher-paying jobs, and the way out of poverty is easier to envision.
Neale is just one example of how education helps with poverty reduction. We invite you to sponsor a child through GFA World so children in Africa and Asia can find tangible help. With your partnership, a child’s dreams can be realized.
Learn more about Poverty Reduction Strategy[1] Walker, Ken. “Child sponsorship: Does it lift the youth out of poverty?” November 18, 2022. https://www.gfa.org/special-report/does-sponsoring-child-really-work.
[2] Ibid.
[3] Ken Walker of InChrist Communications. “Child Sponsorship.” GFA World, November 18, 2022. https://www.gfa.org/special-report/does-sponsoring-child-really-work/#:~:text=The%20staff%20saw%20to%20his%20every%20need%2C%20wanting%20to%20help%20Neale%20achieve%20his%20dream.