By Jason Yang | Financial Executive
For many children in China’s rural provinces, education is not their first priority. Rather, they have more critical questions to answer: Will I have a next meal? Will mom and dad find a cure to grandma’s ill health? Will I receive new clothes for the frigid winter? Villages are often left to the childrens’ grandparents to look after while the parents work day in, day out for a salary that barely sustains their own family. As a result, these families are concerned about meeting their bare necessities, and not the luxuries such as education and emotional support.
Therefore, if not working on the family farm or helping around the house, these children have little to experience: local schools discontinue education past fifth grade, leaving students at a dead-end. However, at Education for All Foundation (EFA), we think of these circumstances as not as a dead-end, but rather a challenge to be overcome.
Education for All Foundation (EFA) has been able to support these children in the form of developing English fluency and a passion for learning. Moreover, with your support over these past few months, EFA has been able to create an emotional assistance branch and two funds in order to further support our students through these unprecedented times and beyond.
Our emotional assitance branch, otherwise known as the Emotional Development Guarantees Excellence (EDGE) program, assists students such as Haotian.
For nine-year-old Haotian, living with his grandmother and three siblings since his father’s unexpected death and mother’s desertion has been tough. Their household’s sole income comes from his grandmother, who is only able to complete farm work. Remarkably, although life has forced Haotian into a corner, he is not defeated; rather, Haotian has maintained an optimistic personality and kept a positive, grateful heart. It is clear that so many children, who are labeled as unsuccessful or unmotivated, are hindered by external hardships and do not have the resources to live up to their potential. Students like Haotian contain the drive to succeed, and EFA assists them by paving a path to a brighter future.
Through our tailored programs, EFA is proud to say that we can change lives by helping youth in rural China become stronger and unlocking their capabilities to transform their community and beyond. It is an honor having you by our side and we wish you safety and health.
These two funds are how EFA currently allocates your generous contributions.
EDGE Scholarship Fund
EFA’s Emotional Development Guarantees Excellence (EDGE) Mentorship program assists left-behind children develop into mentally healthy adults by providing an older-sibling-like figure in the form of a volunteer mentor. However, EFA wishes to provide not only psychological benefits, but also financial support. Thus, every student in the EDGE program also receives a $125 USD scholarship towards their academic fees that will alleviate some financial pressure off of their guardian, who must work to provide for his/her family. As of October of 2020, we have 7 students directly involved with our EDGE mentors.
Partner School Financial Support
Despite federal government efforts, local governments in many parts of rural China misuse funds, which results in a lack of funding for education. EFA ensures that our partner schools have the necessary resources in order to not only facilitate EFA’s English classes, but also to run other standard school classes. Thus, EFA donates stationery, technology, books, and much more so that our schools are supported.
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