EDUCATION FOR CHILDREN AND YOUTH

STRENGTHENING

COMMUNITIES TO

DRIVE POSITIVE

SOCIAL CHANGE

Overview

Of the world’s 650 million school-aged children, 120 million

will not reach fourth grade and an additional 130 million

will fail to learn basic skills like literacy and numeracy. High

dropout and repetition rates, in combination with contextual

barriers—such as poverty, conflict, gender, language, and

disability—compound this problem. Improving educational

opportunities for all children and youth, particularly the most

vulnerable and disadvantaged, is essential to the growth of

human potential worldwide. World Learning believes that

education is the driving force behind positive, sustainable

development.

Approach

World Learning supports the development of more inclusive,

equitable, and responsive education systems that meet the

needs of all children and youth. The core theme of World

Learning’s approach to education is capacity develop-

ment—empowering individuals and institutions to define

and create change for themselves. To achieve this goal,

World Learning’s programs target a range of educational

needs including teacher professional development, school

and community linkages, English language and mother

tongue literacy improvement, stakeholder engagement with

policymakers, and curriculum reform.

World Learning is a nonprofit organization that advances leadership through education, exchange, and development programs in more than 60 countries.

In Ethiopia, World Learning builds the capacity of primary schools to address the needs of children affected by HIV/AIDS.

continued

THE SUPPORT I RECEIVED FROM THE PROJECT HAS ENABLED ME TO HOPE FOR THE FUTURE.”

Success Story

Adem Mohammed, 16, is a sixth grader at Itaya

Primary School in Ethiopia’s Oromia Regional

State, but he hasn’t always been able to attend

school. When his mother died and his father sub-

sequently abandoned the family, Adem dropped

out of school to support his two siblings and

elderly grandmother. With assistance from a

World Learning program, Adem resumed his

schooling and also joined the Village Savings

and Loan Association established at the school.

As part of the program, Adem completed training

in business management, gained access to small

loans for microenterprise development, and

learned the importance of planning, budgeting,

and saving. Adem used the skills he learned to

start his own microenterprise and now his family

can afford better living conditions. His academic

performance has also substantially improved—

he now ranks third in his class. According to

Adem, “The support I received from the project

has enabled me to hope for the future—my

return to school was my rebirth.”

Contact

education@worldlearning.org

World Learning works across a range of coun-

tries and contexts. In Egypt, World Learning

works with the Ministry of Education to develop

science, technology, engineering, and math-

ematics (STEM) model schools that serve as a

catalyst for change in system-wide education

reform. To address the needs of orphans and

vulnerable children affected by HIV/AIDS in

Ethiopia, World Learning builds the capacity

of primary schools to manage their care and

support, and links them with existing services in

their local communities. In Peru, World Learning

combats exploitative child labor by improving

access to and the quality of education, helping

families reduce dependence on income gener-

ated from child labor, and supporting policies to

eradicate child labor. To increase the relevance

of education for youth in Algeria and Egypt,

World Learning develops workforce readiness

and English language skills in young people

who are preparing to enter the job market.

Our success stems from three main approaches:

first, a focus on experiential learning that results

in long-lasting change; second, an emphasis on

locally identified activities that make education

more available and relevant; and third, a sensitivity

to the particular educational needs of vulnerable

children and youth, including child laborers, those

with HIV/AIDS, orphans, and those excluded by

gender, disability, or ethnicity.

1015 15th St, NW Seventh Floor Washington, DC 20005

Phone +202 408-5420Fax +202 408-5397Email development@worldlearning.org

www.worldlearning.org

It is the policy of World Learning to provide equal employment and

educational opportunities for all persons regardless of age, ethnic origin,

gender, nationality, physical or learning ability, race, religion, sexual ori-

entation, gender identity, protected veteran’s status, or any other legally

protected status.

World Learning and its circle design, School for International Training,

SIT, and The Experiment in International Living and its infinity design

are registered trademarks of World Learning Inc. The U.S. Experiment in

International Living is a trademark of World Learning Inc.

© 2013. All Rights Reserved 13.IDEP15D2

“