buildOn and the Education Above All's Educate a Child Program to Provide Access to Education for 159,000 Out-of-School Children in Some of the World's Poorest Countries

STAMFORD, Conn., July 15, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Global non-profit organization buildOn and the Education Above All Foundation's (EAA) Educate A Child (EAC) program aim to enroll 159,211 out-of-school children in quality primary education in seven of the world's economically poorest countries, including Haiti, Guatemala, Senegal, Mali, Malawi, Burkina Faso, and Nepal.  

This joint project, with support from the Qatar Fund for Development, also plans to build 1,873 primary schools, in partnership with rural communities and local ministries of education, and engage 224,760 local community members to take an active role in bringing out-of-school children back to the classroom through buildOn's Enroll Program. Other key project strategies include capacity building for community members, leaders, teachers, government officials, and students, accelerated education programs, direct support including school supplies to out-of-school children, and income-generating initiatives for communities. 

"We at EAA believe in inclusive and equitable quality education opportunities for all. We are committed to supporting the hardest to reach children and giving them access to quality primary education, and in buildOn, we have found a partner who shares our values and convictions," EAC Executive Director Dr. Mary Joy Pigozzi, said. "Education provides children with the tools they need to build a better future, for themselves, their families, their community and their country." 

This latest announcement, which comes after the two organizations' successful enrollment of over 55,000 children in a number of developing countries, means that a total of 214,691 of the most vulnerable out-of-school children will be provided quality education opportunities through this partnership.

"Over the past five years, EAA has been an integral partner in our mission to break the cycle of poverty, illiteracy, and low expectations," buildOn Founder & CEO Jim Ziolkowski said. "This continued partnership with EAC will empower buildOn to significantly scale our school construction and education programs.  It will not only transform our organization, it will transform the lives of more than 159,000 children and generations to follow!"

buildOn and EAA's partnership began in 2015 with a five-year project to launch and scale buildOn's Enroll Program. Through their partnership, EAC and buildOn have provided quality primary education through the construction of 1,005 primary schools, solar panel installation, parent engagement, community mobilization, parent and teacher training, and leadership development.

About buildOn: At home or abroad, buildOn's mission is to break the cycle of poverty, illiteracy, and low expectations through service and education. Across the U.S., buildOn empowers urban youth to transform their neighborhoods through intensive community service and to change the world by building schools in some of the economically poorest countries in the world. Since 1991, buildOn has empowered more than 2.4 million hours of volunteer service in the U.S. and constructed 1,913 schools worldwide, with more than 289,000 children and adults attending these schools every day. For more information, visit www.buildon.org.

About Education Above All (EAA) Foundation: The Education Above All (EAA) Foundation is a global education foundation established in 2012 by Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser. EAA envisions bringing hope and real opportunity to the lives of impoverished and marginalized children, youth, and women, especially in the developing world and in dire circumstances such as conflict situations and natural disasters. We believe that education is the single most effective means of reducing poverty, generating economic growth, and creating peaceful and just societies, as well as a fundamental right for all children and an essential condition to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). For more information, visit educationaboveall.org. 

EAA comprises four programs: Educate A Child (EAC), Al Fakhoora, Reach Out To Asia (ROTA), and Protect Education in Insecurity and Conflict (PEIC). In addition to providing access to education for children around the world, EAA advocates to safeguard inclusive and quality education for all.

About Educate A Child: Educate a Child (EAC), a global programme of the Education Above All (EAA) Foundation, aims to trigger significant breakthroughs and a material difference in the lives of children who have no access to primary education. EAC has been helping millions of the hardest-to-reach, out-of-school children (OOSC) around the world realise their right to a quality education.  

Through partnership and innovation, millions of children continue to be supported to overcome the barriers blocking their path to quality education. Playing a catalytic role in the field of OOSC and for those most at risk of dropping out of primary education, EAC strives to achieve individual and social outcomes for these children, their communities, and a more sustainable world for us all.

For more information, please contact:

Carrie Pena, buildOn, Email: [email protected], Mobile: 224-420-1825

Nadine Ottenbros, Portland Communications, Email: [email protected], Mobile: +44 7894 814007

Related Images

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buildOn and EAC _ Thierno
Thierno (center) attends a school built by his community in partnership with buildOn and the Education Above All Foundation's (EAA) Educate A Child (EAC) program.

SOURCE buildOn