HAPPY GOES TO SCHOOL

The Boys' Club of New York addresses the mental health crisis among at-risk boys by providing structured programming, peer mentorship from alumni staff, and a culture of belonging across three clubhouses and roughly 2,500 members.

The Fortress of the Vulnerable Child Rescue Initiative gathers volunteers to provide an education to displaced primary school-aged children from low-income families. The organization can accommodate up to 300 children at a time and is in the process of gathering funds to build an official school building.

The Tent to School Education Initiative mounts makeshift classrooms in communities where students would normally have to travel long distances to attend classes, leaving them vulnerable to potential safety concerns. In one nomadic settlement, volunteer teachers with the program have helped 70 percent of students improve their numeracy skills, while 65 percent have been able to build reading competencies.

Tat Sat Kasasa Secondary School (TaSKA) is making education more accessible, affordable and inclusive for youth in rural communities, particularly young girls. As of March, TaSKA serves 120 students, 64 of which are girls. Along with education, the school also provides meals, medical care, extracurriculars and access to financial services to create a holistic educational experience.

The Graficka Street school uses flexible classroom design, dedicated assistants for children with special needs, participatory school culture, and proactive family outreach to create a more inclusive learning environment. Since inclusive education legislation was passed in 2016, the share of students with disabilities educated in mainstream schools has grown from 65% to 77%, with schools like the Graficka Street elementary school helping increase access.

The Sebastian Indian Social Projects (SISP) works with socio-economically disadvantaged communities, providing social services like healthcare and employment assistance with a primary focus on educating youth. SISP has focused on educating the local female population, which has helped empower them economically and led to several women receiving jobs outside of their village. SISP has also educated several students who were forced to drop out of traditional school and provides supplementary activities along with their standard education, such as skating and coding clubs.

Whanyinna is a floating primary school, providing education and opportunity to children in a town where fishing has historically been the top priority. With support from volunteer teachers, more than 300 students have received basic education in subjects like English, math and science, giving local youth a new sense of hope and self-worth.

Local college students are volunteering their time to teach children for free in nearby villages who can’t afford tuition at traditional schools. The project started in 2014 with just 30 students but has now grown to about 100 students attending the free classes held every evening.

Lagos' Project Zero program worked with teachers, youth organizations, and other groups in the education space to reach out to parents of students who had dropped out of school during the pandemic. The program provided them with school kits including everything they needed to re-enroll, such as books, uniforms, shoes, and other supplies.

The Center for Children's Health Education, Orientation and Protection, or CEE-HOPE, works to address the challenges young girls growing up in poorer neighborhoods face, including lack of education and skills development and high child marriage rates. The organization helps these young girls access education and shelters for those experiencing abuse, helping to better themselves and turn them into advocates for other young girls.