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POVERTY IS MULTIDIMENSIONAL, COMPLEX, INTER-GENERATIONAL AND UNIVERSAL. Amartya Sen (recipient of the 1998 Nobel Prize in Economics) defines Poverty as the lack of freedom or opportunity. Viewed from a different perspective: un- or under-development has to do with the lack of personal freedom, including: political freedom, economic empowerment, social opportunities, personal security, and integrity. You can begin to see from this web, the complex inter-relationships between various poverty drivers; factors such as: conflict and displacement, disease and access to essential services, political stability, governance, Human Rights, economic performance, food security, and natural and environmental shocks.

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Great efforts have been made to identify the risks and vulnerabilities and even measure them. Considerable energy and expense has gone into responding to many of these shocks (or issues), and soon we will have 17 new goals and 169 targets to work on! What about the underlying causes of these issues? In medicine we know the difference between treatment and prevention. We get excited when a treatment prevents a re-occurrence. What can we do together to most-appropriately address the root causes of poverty? HOW CAN WE HELP STRENGTHEN INDIVIDUAL AND COMMUNITY RESILIENCE ? WHERE DO WE START?

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Presbyterian World Mission has listened to the priority needs of Global Partners, read the reports and together we have launched a campaign to strengthen quality education for 1 million children by the year 2020. SDG #4 further identifies the goal as “inclusive and equitable quality education”. This is a campaign that includes public education in the U.S. and partner education programs in some of the 50 countries we work with. There is a global education crisis – a global learning crisis; classrooms are crowded, there are too few classrooms or qualified teachers, especially in rural areas. There is also a large gap in education access and outcomes that perpetuates inequality within and between countries. Education inequality (enrollment and attainment) is morally un-acceptable and socially dangerous. Paul referred to this knowledge gap last night and a recent

Brookings report states: “it will take another 65 years before developing regions reach the levels of education seen in developed countries today.” And here in the U.S. school dropout rates are extremely high.

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For the benefit of the “FACTIVISTS” …

We know that education can transform lives, it transformed Nelson Mandela and provided him with a vision for the future of South Africa and a gateway out of poverty. He received his early education from a mission school…. Education is also a good investment The dividends that result from investments in education are immeasurable. Some experts estimate the ROI (return on investment) is $10 x each $ invested (especially true when parents are involved) sometimes this is referred to as an Education growth premium

SO, What are the objectives of the Education Campaign?

Education is crucial to peacebuilding and to fostering more cohesive societies. Education can help address the inequalities that generate conflict. Education as a priority in global development assistance has declined and with few exceptions, is always less than that of health. the lack of data in the education sector remains a challenge4

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Numerous studies have shown that the period from birth to 6 years is extremely important in cognitive and social development and in school completion. We also know how critically important it is for young children to be attached to a caring adult during this period.

There is also evidence showing how poverty can create conditions of toxic stress and weaken brain development during early childhood and beyond – often poverty is correlated with adverse childhood experiences and negative health consequences for adolescents and adults.

Helping to develop and strengthen ECED is a priority objective for the U.S. and Global parts of our campaign.

For example, we know that there are more than 3000 Presbyterian Congregations that host a pre-school or early learning program. It is important to increase and improve these programs and encourage sister denominations and faith groups to do likewise.

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Quality education depends on quality teaching; teachers who are professionally trained and resourced to encourage learning. We want “no teacher left behind” Such programs are taking place in South Sudan, Bangladesh and Guatemala. AND in the U.S. there are teacher-mentors providing help to new teachers with support from congregations. A challenge that some of our partners have expressed is the difficulty of placing qualified teachers in rural areas that have few resources and in providing ongoing professional development opportunities. We are examining appropriate incentives for teachers in rural areas (in a similar way to what we’ve tried with rural health workers)

The futures of these kids will be brighter if they can stay in school.

They are less likely to engage in risky behavior, dangerous work, or get married at an early age IF they can remain in school.

I also want to give a shout out for Menstrual Hygiene Management and the Productive school Sanitation program – referred to by Linda in her presentation last night. We are providing such programs at Church schools in Malawi and Zambia and expanding that elsewhere.

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Many partner churches are reaching out to “the least of these” . For example, in Malawi, there are 8 schools for children with “special needs” – including secondary level.

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Providing education for children in camps is equally challenging to that of providing health services.

One week ago today was world refugee day. There are now 30 million children around the world who are displaced from their homes and schools by conflict and emergencies.

That is more than half the total refugee population – they need an opportunity to learn.

Every day last year on average 42,500 people became refugees, asylum seekers, or internally displaced.

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AT THIS SCHOOL IN THAILAND NEAR THE BORDER WITH BURMA, CHILDREN HAD FEW OPPORTUNITIES TO LEARN BEYONG GRADE 6 DUE TO CERTAIN LANGUAGE AND CULTURAL BARRIERS. THEIR FUTURE OPTIONS WOULD BE LIMITED

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Like the PCUSA Poverty facebook page

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