This microproject would provide one math kit each to 130 kids born of rape in eastern DR Congo. Tuition funds are raised in the parent project, but classroom supplies are lacking. Each boxed kit is a direct learning tool that can help boost understanding and quality of education.
Children born of rape are stigmatized, but these schools give them a sense of self-worth and acceptance. Classrooms accommodate many students, but without supplies, learning outcomes are limited. In the current environment, called-on students solve math problems by coming to the front of the room and counting bottle caps or writing on the blackboard. The teacher then asks the rest of the class whether the answer is right or wrong, to which they respond in unison. This is limited learning.
Providing these boxed math kits to each child promotes individual learning, which the teacher can monitor. The kits feature partitioned areas where students can solve equations and draw graphics individually, boosting understanding for each child. Classrooms in these three rural and forgotten communities are rudimentary, so a kit like this represents an advancement in the kids' education.
We will educate 130 primary school boys and girls, allowing them a start in breaking the cycle of poverty. This is a critical step in social reintegration from the stigmatized status they are born into. We are now in our third year of the program, and confidence levels and respect for students and their mothers have risen dramatically. The kids realize the path to a better life comes through education. They want to lift themselves up and help their families in the process.
