Invest in Education for Children Living In Poverty in Pakistan
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The pandemic has only exacerbated the barriers to education for children in poor communities. If all students in low-income countries left school with basic reading skills, it is estimated that 170 million people could be lifted out of poverty – a 12 per cent reduction in global poverty.
- 264 million children were out of school, even before the pandemic.
- 617 million youth worldwide lack basic mathematics and literacy skills.
- 50% of the world’s out-of-school kids are in Asia.
- 37% of parents in Pakistan said they would re-enrol their daughters in school after the pandemic, compared to 94% who would re-enrol their sons.
How does Opportunity International Australia’s project address this problem?
We are working with local financial service providers to reach nearly 5,000 schools and 123,000 families with small loans and quality improvements for better education outcomes.
School Fee Loans help families to spread out the cost of their children’s education. This helps prevent school dropouts or missed classes during times of economic uncertainty when parents may struggle to pay for school fees, uniforms, materials, and transportation.
School Improvement Loans help improve school facilities. For some school owners, it’s used to add classrooms, textbooks and desks. For others, it’s used to install running water, dormitories, or gender separated bathrooms.
Schools and families involved in the program see:
- Schools grow faster
- Improved student learning
- Improved school quality
- Permanent jobs created
- More girls stay in school
$14,000 can fund access to a loan for 4 schools to improve their facilities and train educators, providing pathways to quality education for 800 children.
Charanjeet’s Story – Academic Dreams Come True
Charanjeet, a mother and entrepreneur, lives with her family in India. She supports her family by crafting and selling ornaments – a business she built with a small loan from Opportunity. Her husband, Harjeet, is a welder. Their seasonal incomes meant they did not have funds available when school fees were due for their youngest son, Mandeep. While his older brother dropped out of school to work, Mandeep is a talented student with dreams of becoming an engineer.
Charanjeet became aware of the School Fee Loans supported by Opportunity International Australia and qualified for a small loan to keep Mandeep in school. His school fees were paid on time and the family have been able to manage their repayments. “Now with the education loan I don’t have to struggle, I have the money that is required for his education. Mandeep can now see his academic dreams coming true,” says Charanjeet.
More Information
Visit Website: Opportunity International Australia