Isn’t it time we start planning ahead…. ?

Africa is the only continent to have become poorer in the past 25 years.  

With each economic year, Africa grows more dependent on international support for food, investment and education; a risky position that would eventually prove to be our detriment. Our delicate position is clearly reflected in a recent report by the United Nations, which stated that the orgnisations global drive to get every child into primary education is being knocked off course by the global financial crisis.

In the annual report on its ‘Education For All initiative’  UNESCO warned that much of the progress of the past decade could be undone as education budgets everywhere – particularly in sub-­Saharan Africa – get cut back as the flow of aid from rich countries dwindles. There are currently 72 million children in the world with no access to education, whilst in sub Saharan African countries 50% of  young adults have fewer than four years of education.

Looking to external sources for funding and charity is not sustainable in the long term. The recent global economic crisis is a reflection of this; once more developed countries got hit by financial hardship, support for developing countries plunged. Do we really want to continue to place the future of our countries and the lives of our brothers, sisters, nieces and nephews, in someone else hands?

It is up to us to develop the resources we have in order to safe guard the future of our home countries. One of these resources – indeed one of the most important – are its people and we can capitalize on this by providing them the opportunity to access the knowledge and the tools required to instigate change.

For Africa’s children, education is perhaps their strongest barrier against poverty. Educated children are likely to be more productive when they grow up, get better paid in the workplace, become able to lead and inspire others. Girls are likely to marry later, in more favorable terms and have healthier children.

Help a child receive education today, and help shape Africa ’s economic future. Visit the Guardian network website today to find out how.

Sources:

http://www.unicef.org/mdg/poverty.html

http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2010/jan/20/education-for-all-unesco-warning