Dotun Roy
Whenever I recall the popular song in the mid 80s “We are the World” by Micheal Jackson and other top American Artistes, I tell you those lyrics in that song were quite profound and believe me it isn’t for fun!
“We are the World, we are the children. We are the ones who make a brighter day So lets start giving
There’s a choice we’re making
We’re saving our own lives
Its true we’ll make a better day
Just you and me”
This above chorus was probably the most popular chorus at one time and even now because it is an evergreen song. However, it seems we just sing it, and forget to act on it! Honestly, we are the ones, I mean you and I are the ones who will make the world better a place. Giving help hands to those in need; giving hope to the hopeless; putting smiles on the faces of the downtrodden should be part of our personal priorities. Yes, it is a noble cause we all must be involved in!
A World at School is one project that is aimed at getting those children that have been dropped out of school or those kids who never had opportunity to be sent to school like every other kids back to the classrooms. In last two decade, socio-economic difference, poverty, diseases, conflict as well as political instability have caused millions of kids being denied of acess to formal education in Africa.
Recent statistic has also revealed that more than 58 million children are out-of-school across the globe. However, the beautiful thing is we could help them back to school.
According to Mother Theresa, “I alone cannot change the world but I can cast a stone across the river to create many ripples”. She also said “Not all of us can do great things but we can do small things with great love”
Below is a letter to the Editor from a gentleman, who believes every child has the right to education and must be educated. He is a social developer and Activist who believes in using humanitarian services to enhance the capacity of just any person that crosses his path! He is currently A World At School Global Youth Ambassador.
Read his words below:
To the Editor,
Imagine you couldn’t read or write. Or worse still, imagine you knew nothing of the world that exists beyond your hometown. For 57 million primary aged children who aren’t in school, there’s no need to imagine-this is their painful reality. Without access to an education, these beautiful children remain voiceless and the cycle of poverty continues.
As a newly-appointed Global Youth Ambassador for A World at School, I want to bring attention to the 57 million children around the world currently being denied their human right to an education.
A world at school is a movement of passionate people who believes that every child no matter where they are from deserves a place at school, and I am joined in this call to action by over 500 other young advocates for global education.
Together, we make up the Global Youth Ambassadors group – launched on April 1 2014, by the United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and the United Nations Special Envoy for Global Education Gordon Brown.
Education is important because it gives children the tools and knowledge they need to develop, grow, learn, and thrive. I believe that education is the only sure way to unlocking the door to each person’s fullest potential.
Education is a basic human right. Education sparks wonder and mystery; it honours questions and invites inquiry which is the foundation for peace-building. A chance to learn-children deserves it and it situates them to embody peace and build strong communities. As firm believers that education is the answer to the greatest challenges we face as a society, we ask for your help in urging leaders to raise budgets, build schools, train teachers and improve learning for all children.
It has been shown that we could lift more than 170 million people out of poverty simply by teaching every child in low-income countries basic reading skills. So why are we not making this a reality? Unless we revert current trends, we will not even achieve universal primary education before 2086.
Signed:
Clinton Ikechukwu Ezeigwe
A World at School Global Youth Ambassador
Quite interesting and touching, isn’t it? You too can be part of a change today. Strive to make a difference in the lives of some out-of-school kids!