Education
Education is an important tool to fight poverty and corruption, and the best way to help people to change their situation. Integrity must be taught to children at the same time as the fight against poverty continues. Education has proven to be the best way to reduce poverty in the areas where we operate.
It is very common that the children have to contribute to the household economy and schools in Africa are not free, as they are in some parts of the world. This means that many adults simply cannot afford to let their children go to school for longer periods; they are needed at home and the money is needed for food. The children often need to bring water to school as there is a shortage. By establishing our plantations and creating paid jobs, the children as a result get opportunities to go to school.
Students at Mboti School, Sosoma, Kenya.
Building and renovating schools
When we customers buy donation packages, we help Better Globe to finance school renovations, and the construction of new schools. In each donation package we purchase some money is earmarked to renovate the schools that are located in the areas where we operate. We have renovated three schools in Kenya up until 2017 and in Uganda two schools have been built, of which the one in the picture below is the latest and largest.
One of Child Africa’s schools in Kabale, Uganda, which was built with support from donation packages. Opened 2016.
We are purely a forestry company, as mentioned before, and as such we do not run any schools, and we do not build any schools. We leave that to the local organizations, parent cooperatives and similar. However, we do have an extremely close relationship with Child Africa, an NGO (Non-Governmental-Organization) which operates schools in Uganda primarily. Child Africa has also been awarded the best NGO in the field of education.
Child Africa
Child Africa operates schools and sponsorship programs in Uganda primarily, but it also helps schools in Kenya. Like most charities, Child Africa is relying on companies, organisations and individuals to contribute to their activities, in different ways. 100% of the teachers’ wages, books and, in particular, food and clothing for the children, comes from contributions of varying kinds. In addition to a large portion of the earmarked money for the schools in the donation packages, a large part of the company’s profits also goes to Child Africa.
Child Africa’s headquarters in Kabale, Uganda.
Child Africa’s schools and activities are known far outside the Ugandan and Kenyan borders, since they offer an education that helps children from socio-economically poor conditions to benefit from the studies and become successful in school. The performance of Child Africa’s students is on the same level as the “finest” schools in the district. The pedagogy is focused on building self confidence and working with core values, all in keeping with the desire to combat poverty and corruption.
Child Africa is also known for integrating disabled children, mainly deaf children, into regular school activities. All the children at the school are taught sign language to help communication, and mobile phones are used to send messages to one another.
Kate, who is completely deaf, on her graduation day in Kabale, Uganda.
Many of the students also live at the boarding school. It is often best for the children. Thus they can focus on schoolwork and do not need to spend their time helping out at home. They also get 3 meals a day, which they wouldn’t always get at home.
The best thing you can do to support school activities is to save monthly in Donation packages.
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If you also want to join in and do good, contribute to a better world and manage your savings in an ethical, sustainable and long-term way, use the link below.
Please feel free to read more here on the website, if you have other questions. We have a FAQ page with the 50 most frequently asked questions, and you can of course contact us at support@betterglobe.com.
I visited the operations in Kenya and Uganda during a customer trip in the summer of 2017, and then I got to experience the huge difference makes on site, with the support from us customers. It is heartwarming to know that I contribute to providing these opportunities to some of the most vulnerable people on the planet.
