Marginalised people

In the Tobasa region of Indonesia, educational biases and inequalities take many forms. Teachers arrive hours late; students with learning difficulties are harshly treated; poor families cannot afford adequate nutrition; religious favoritism weighs upon academic results; and children are denied access to education if they cannot afford the mandatory books and uniform.

In the slums of Egypt, trained teachers work hard to build strong relationships with vulnerable children and their families.  Community Education Centres have been set up to nurture preschoolers in their formative years to flourish with creativity and character.

The National Department of Social Welfare estimates that there are approximately 220,000 children living on the streets of towns and cities across the Philippines.  Some willingly leave their households to escape domestic violence, neglect or hunger; others are forced out by their parents to beg, scavenge or even sell themselves into prostitution or labour.

A deep-seated caste system has caused the Dalits to not only live a life of limited opportunity, but also perceive their lowly status as permanent and prevailing as it is considered deserved for past ills. Typically, they must endure chronic underemployment with no job security and little opportunity to save for times of illness or their children’s education.

If without financial means, highly competent and motivated students in the Tobasa region of Indonesia are met with few opportunities to pursue further education upon their completion of high school.  Places at the only government university in the area are extremely limited as applications outnumber available positions by approximately ten times, so many aspiring scholars must turn to the private sector.