What you can do to Ensure a Child Receives a Quality Education

On average in low-income, developing countries, every year a child receives

education increases their future income by ten percent (11 Facts About
Education). It may seem obvious to United States citizens that a childs
education is important, and laws as well as resources and money, should go
into educating a countrys population. An uneducated population leads to
many other social problems which include increasing rates of illiteracy,
poverty, unemployment, corrupt governments, etc.
However, according to the Global Partnership For Education, 110 million
primary-school aged children arent enrolled in school. As is shown in the
chart above, most of these children are in Sub-Saharan Africa, with large
numbers also existing in South Asia, the Middle East, and North Africa.

While we, as well as most others around the world, believe that the children in
the picture above deserve the right to receive an education, chances are slim
that they would. These children live in South Sudan, where only 1 in 5
children ever attend school, and the chance of them finishing primary school
is only 1%. While most would agree that something needs to be done to help
poverty-stricken countries, people are not contributing enough. Many of the
population is still unable to receive an education, causing global crises, and
decreasing life-expectancy, access to quality health care, lack of family
planning, etc.
In Malawi, 45% of adolescent girls become pregnant without receiving an
education (CARE, 2017). However, only 4% of girls that have attended
secondary school, become pregnant in their teenage years. This is one of
many examples that shows how an education would solve world crises.
As is shown above, a small percentage of the worlds population controls most
of its wealth. Over 1 billion people live on less than a dollar a day, and 2.7
billion live on less than 2 dollars a day. This is a large percentage of our
global population that are likely struggling to provide education for their
children, let alone help others around them. That means that the .111% of the
world that has 81% of the worlds wealth, needs to assist in helping the
education and livelihood of people around the world.

Many people
believe that
since wealthy
people have
often earned
their money
through hard
work then they
deserve to
keep it.
However, it
cannot be
assumed that if
those of lower
socioeconomic
backgrounds, and those struggling to survive in developing countries arent
working hard. Wealth typically comes because of a combination of hard work
and the situation you have been born into. The people on the list above, did
have the creativity, drive, and hard work that needed to be put in to be
successful entrepreneurs, but many of them also had luck. These people
werent born as one of the 2.7 billion people living on less than two dollars a
day.
 According to Plan International, Quality education provides children
with the knowledge and skills they need to realize their full potential. The key
to changing world problems is by giving everyone an education. This allows
them the opportunity to gain skills to start businesses, change political
systems, and critically think through many social issues.
 Many businesses, organizations, and charities are trying to convince us
to give them money. It can be hard to decide how to spend our money. With
social norms encouraging us to keep spending, and keeping the items that we
have up to the current trends, our money often goes to buy unnecessary
things. Shown above is what the average American spent their money on in
2012. It shows that 5.4% of expenditures are on food away from home.
Other expenditures could also be limited by choosing more affordable
housing, transportation, limiting entertainment and alcohol purchases, etc.

Giving what you can to help improve the quality of education for others,
is much more worthwhile than your daily fast-food trip or your dream car.
Organizations that work to improve education worldwide are very worthwhile
to donate to, because increasing peoples educational opportunities creates
world leaders to change the world and help decrease social injustices.
Some organizations where your money would go to good use are
Association for Childhood Education International, The Global Partnership
for Education, UNESCO, CARE and Save the Children. Whatever you
can give can be so helpful for the lives of children around the world.
 As is shown in the chart above, in Nepal most of their money is going
towards necessities for survival, especially food. Education is put on the
backburner, because all they can worry about is making sure their loved ones
have something to eat. This issue is not only present in Nepal, but in many
areas of the world. As is shown in the earlier chart that shows how Americans
spend their money, spending habits of these two countries are strikingly
different. Because most Americans have the luxury of being able to spend
money on wants, we can give to charities that increase the quality of life for
those who are preoccupied with finding their next meal.
When you invest in education, children
will pay it forward. Equipped with
knowledge and confidence, they will
grow up to lead healthier, more
productive lives (CARE, 2017). If you
can find a way to limit the waste in your
budget, and donate to childrens
education, it will be worthwhile, as the
children you help will grow to help other
people throughout the world.