Education is essential for development, equipping people at all ages with the tools to work their way out of poverty independently and break the cycle of poverty for generations to come. It is for this reason that The Zahra Trust invests heavily in the education and training of children and adults.
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Facts & Stats:
- 70% of 10-year-olds in low-income and middle-income countries cannot read and understand a simple story (UNICEF)
- An estimated 153 million children worldwide are orphans (UNICEF)
- Worldwide, there are 168 million child laborers, accounting for almost 11% of children (ILO)
- In the world’s poorest countries, around 1 in 4 children are engaged in child labor (UNICEF)
- 263 million children and youth are out of school (UNESCO)
- An estimated 61 million primary-school-age children are out of school; 53% of them are girls (UNICEF)
- Globally, there is a 9% increase in hourly earnings for every extra year of schooling. (World Bank)
- School children have lost an estimated 2 trillion hours – and counting – of in-person instruction since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdowns. Overall, at least a third of the world’s school children – 463 million globally – were unable to access remote learning during school closures. (World Bank)
- Data from 68 countries indicates that a woman’s education is a key factor in determining a child’s survival. (UN Women)
In response to this global crisis, The Zahra Trust has projects across its areas of operation addressing the issues around access to education, training and subsequent employment opportunities. We ensure that our projects are offered to primarily orphaned and disadvantaged children who otherwise would not be able to access education due to financial constraints.
The Zahra Trust also invests in schools with a range of modern facilities integrated into a variety of other projects, including water and sanitation with the provision of sanitation facilities and nutrition with the provision of meals. We also ensure that children are provided with uniforms, stationery and the relevant books, materials and equipment to achieve their full potential, free of the constraints of poverty. In relieving the financial burden of school expenses on families, we ensure that children are less likely to be subject to child labour and exploitation.
In Iraq, as well as supporting the orphans and disadvantaged children in its care as part of Project 470, The Zahra Trust runs two schools in the Holy City of Karbala, educating over 720 primary and secondary students combined. We ensure that each child receives the best education possible with fully qualified and trained faculty as well as the relevant materials and equipment to support their learning.
To find out more about how we are supporting the education and training of adults and children in Iraq, please visit our Project 470 page.
In Kabul, Afghanistan, The Zahra Trust runs a fully operational primary school for over 300 boys and girls which is currently in the process of expansion in order to accommodate even more students.
We are also in the process of updating our facilities to offer an even better education to the children that are supported by our work. Donate now to support the education of a child in need, expand our reach to establish schools across our other areas of operation and upgrade our facilities to give children a way out of poverty.