UNICEF, Nelson Mandela Foundation and Peter Krämer Foundation Kick Off Appeal to Expand Schools for Africa Initiative
NEW YORK (June 17, 2013) — UNICEF, the Nelson Mandela Foundation and the Peter Krämer Foundation today kicked off a new fundraising drive to raise $80 million to help Africa's girls, orphans, children living in extreme poverty and other vulnerable children go to school and get a quality education.
The partners signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in New York to expand Schools for Africa, which has to date helped benefit 21 million children. The new phase aims to raise $80 million between 2014–2017 to help the most vulnerable children in Angola, Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Guinea Bissau, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mozambique, Niger, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, South Africa and Zimbabwe.
"School attendance and quality learning remain a challenge for millions of children in Africa who live in communities where schools have difficulties in improving learning," said Dr. Nicholas Alipui, UNICEF Director of Programs. "In addition, these children must cope with such daily hardships as poverty and the need to work. The partnership focuses on the most marginalized, giving millions a chance for a better life."
When it started in 2004, Schools for Africa aimed to raise $50 million by 2008 to help more than four million children in six countries. It reached its goal one year early. In the second phase, 2010–2013, the initiative added five more countries. So far, Schools for Africa has raised more than $164 million for education programs. Building on its success, Phase III, launched today, added two more countries—Guinea Bissau and Sierra Leone.
"Nelson Mandela believes that education is the strongest weapon available to change any society for the better," said Mr. Sello Hatang, CEO of the Nelson Mandela Foundation. "This next milestone of Schools for Africa brings his dream of education for all closer."
The initiative has helped rebuild schools, provide safe drinking water and sanitation facilities, immunization and health checks for children, school meals and teacher training in some of the most remote areas. The initiative also supports the work of the Nelson Mandela Institute (NMI) in Eastern Cape which aims to improve access to quality education in rural areas through research, teacher and leadership development, community mobilization and through building strong and lasting public institutions.
The NMI introduced Magic Classrooms—an innovative approach intended to create an environment that makes learning and teaching fun. There are now more than 70 vibrant and colorful Magic Classrooms for children between six and nine years old in Qunu, Mqanduli and Bizana in Eastern Cape.
The need for funding is crucial because despite the significant progress in education over the past decade, according to data released last week by the Education for All (EFA) Global Monitoring Report, of the 57 million children primary-school-age out of school in 2011, almost 30 million were in sub-Saharan Africa. The region also has the highest out-of-school rate of all regions. More than one in five primary school-age children have either never attended school or left before completing the last grade of primary education.
"When all children have access to a quality education rooted in human rights and gender equality, it creates a ripple effect of opportunity that influences generations to come," said Mr. Peter Krämer, Chairperson of the Peter Krämer Foundation, partner and key donor of the initiative.
The signing of the MoU further strengthens the existing and continued partnership and support from major individual, corporate and foundation donors such as, Gucci, IKEA Foundation, Montblanc, Starwood Hotels & Resorts and many others.
About UNICEF
The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) works in 190 countries and territories to save and improve children’s lives, providing health care and immunizations, clean water and sanitation, nutrition, education, emergency relief and more. The U.S. Fund for UNICEF supports UNICEF's work through fundraising, advocacy and education in the United States. Together, we are working toward the day when ZERO children die from preventable causes and every child has a safe and healthy childhood. For more information, visit www.unicefusa.org.
For additional information, please contact:
Andrea Sioris, U.S. Fund for UNICEF, 212.880.9136, asioris@unicefusa.org