Failure to invest in education is penny wise, pound foolish, by Justin W. van Fleet
Reid Lidow
Students at the Matau Primary School in Zimbabwe hold up signs with words describing the benefits of education (for a video). May 3, 2011. Photo credit: Eileen Burke unrestricted Through the support of The Oprah Winfrey Foundation and in honor of Tererai Trent, Oprah’s all-time favorite person, Save the Children will improve learning for children at the Matau Primary School – the same school that Tererai attended – in Matau village and in neighboring communities in Zimbabwe. Save the Children will repair and build new classrooms and latrines, put in place a community-wide literacy program for young readers, train teachers and guide pre-school instructors in planning age-appropriate learning activities that help children get ready for school. These photos can be used for showcasing Save the Children’s education work or Save the Children’s work in Zimbabwe. If you use these photos to highlight our work with The Oprah Winfrey Foundation or mention the Foundation in the photo caption, you must get approval from the Foundation. Please contact Eileen Burke in Media and Communications at eburke@savechildren.org or 203-221-4233.
We could play the numbers game all day long, but the facts are clear. At the World Humanitarian Summit, the global community must ante up with a down payment and mobilization plan to invest in the futures of disenfranchised young people shut out of schools in emergencies and crises.
“Education Cannot Wait” will be a new, historic fund to deliver education in emergencies and realize the long-awaited promise for children and youth impacted by crises and conflict. This ambitious fund, paired with sufficient capital, will be a first crack at bucking the trend in the growing number of refugees, displaced persons and children locked out of opportunity during circumstances beyond their control – whether earthquakes, floods, outbreaks or armed conflict.
