Education is key for the growth, capacity, and success of every child. But education is out of reach for many in the areas we serve – schools are few, too far away, too expensive, or lack teachers and books. In Sub-Saharan Africa, 1 out of every 3 children and youth are not in school.  In India, that number is more than 50%.

Poverty makes access to health and nutrition difficult – even more so when resources aren’t available at all. In Mali, there are only 9 doctors for every 100,000 people, and the majority are located in the capital, Bamako, not in rural areas.  The percentage of people in Southern Asia suffering from moderate to severe food insecurity and hunger is more than triple that in the United States, six times higher in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Without education, opportunity, and a vision that change is possible, youth lack the tools to build a brighter future for themselves, their families, and their community. How then can the cycles of poverty, malnutrition, and hopelessness be broken?