A foundation founded by Her Highness, Sheikha Moza Bint Nasser of Qatar, Education Above All (EAA) , has unveiled a programme targeting 10 million Out-of-School children in Nigeria, Ghana and other countries across the world.
Sheikha Moza who is also a United Nations Sustainable Development Goal advocate and Chairperson of EAA Foundation, alongside partners, announced that 10 million out of school children in some of the most challenging situations around the world,will receive quality primary education.
In an event that saw the gathering of world leaders at the New York Public Library, Sheikha Moza said, “We did not achieve this remarkable goal by snapping our fingers or by just writing checks.”
“I have watched as schools were built from scratch. I have listened to lessons taught under the shade of a tree. The desire to learn is one of the most powerful forces of human nature and is in every child. Helping children fulfil that innate desire is the responsibility of us all,” she pointed out.
With a total of over $1.8 billion invested to reach the milestone, EAC has already enrolled over 6 million children worldwide in areas affected by poverty, discrimination, natural disaster, and conflict.Securing commitments to reach 10 million fulfils Sheikha Moza’s 2012 promise and demonstrates that progress is possible, even amid the worsening education crisis it is understood.
Sheikha Moza called for more partners to replicate and scale up EAC’s successful formula as “the world is not a safe place, yet millions of children are still waiting and in desperate need of our help.
“Let’s work together to ensure a better future for all of them and for the world we share. Believe me, it is possible.”
At the event, United Nations Secretary-General, Mr. António Guterres, spoke on the power of education, saying, “Our dream of a sustainable future cannot be realized if we do not support children’s dreams to gain an education.
The event brought together high-level attendees such as the President of Ghana, Mr. Nana Akufo-Addo, model and philanthropist, Ms. Naomi Campbell, as well as international and local NGOs, development agencies, development banks, governments and private sector companies from countries as widespread as Bangladesh, Brazil, India, Kenya, Palestine, Sudan, Syria and Yemen.