The Problem
Education is the most powerful tool for reducing poverty, improving health and providing peaceful and productive opportunities for young people around the world. We wish to transform the lives of children in developing countries by focusing on education. Most specifically, we wish to provide children (ages 4 - 13) at The Batey Learning Center in Batey Libertad in the Dominican Republic with much-needed educational and leadership tools to help them in their pursuit of a quality education - enabling students to reach their full potential and contribute to their community and the world. In addition to our other project, "Today a Reader, Tomorrow a Leader" (which focuses on literacy), we wish to create a school health club called "Poul for School". The goal of this club will be to ensure a safe, hygienic, and food-assisted school environment that encourages children's participation and success in education. Children are the most vulnerable to and most affected by diseases related to poor hygiene and sanitation, such as malaria, diarrhea, typhoid, and intestinal parasites. These illnesses lead to general poor health and reduced energy levels that keep children from school. Intestinal parasites, for instance, steal nutrients, leading to malnutrition and delayed physical development. Poor health affects attendance, retention, and punctuality; which negatively affects their educational trajectory. Children are great carriers of news and ideas to their peers, family members, and the general population of the community. Children spend a lot of time together at school and play. This presents great opportunities to channel behavior-change messages. Creating awareness among children of improved health and hygiene practices motivates them to use sanitation facilities and keep themselves, their school, and their home environments clean. Our wish for this project is that children become agents for change for themselves, their families and their communities, resulting in a strong educational future.
