We are honored to work with local community, various organizations, and businesses to support our community. Our partnerships help us to extend our reach and supply more resources and services to those who are in need.
With your support, Bagalwa Foundation’s project will provide both girls and boys in the war-torn Eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo with a quality education, reaching over 1 million children who would otherwise lack these opportunities.
Enhancing School Accessibility and Fostering a Positive Learning Environment
One of the biggest reasons that many children in the DRC are out of school is because of the onerous fees that parents have to pay. Although the government recently adopted a policy of free education at the earliest grades, schools often still charge fees and struggle to cover their resource needs. Bagalwa Foundation is working hard to help schools and parents find alternate sources of revenue and ensure that the most vulnerable children do not have to pay. As another piece of the access puzzle, children are more likely to attend and finish school if they feel safe and supported. Bagalwa Foundation will help local actors build a sense of emotional and physical safety in and around classrooms, training teachers and community members to assess their school safety needs and work together to address them.
Our Current Project
Bagalwa Foundation is building schools and libraries in the war-torn countries in Africa to ensure that children and women have access to a quality learning environment where they can thrive. No one should need to go to school outdoors in the rain or cold. We believe that every child deserves access to a quality education and a safe and secure learning environment is essential for educational success. Education is one of the most important factors in eradicating poverty and is the building block of every society. We believe education is a fundamental human right, not a privilege of few.
About and why the Democratic Republic of the Congo
The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is a large country with 80 million people, but it has been suffering from conflict that has damaged its governance, infrastructure, and economy for decades. As a result, about 7 million children of primary school age are out of school, and those who attend face many obstacles to learning, such as trauma, violence, and gender bias. To prevent millions of students from being left behind, adults need to provide them with appropriate teaching methods, learning materials, and psycho-social support tools. The DRC government acknowledges these difficulties and the vital role of education in promoting peace and development. Therefore, it has developed a 10-year national education strategy as a high priority. The strategy aims to increase educational opportunities, teach reading in four national languages, and ensure that teachers use effective instructional practices so that all children can acquire basic reading skills — and thus learn better — by the end of Grade 2.
Our Partnerships
One of the biggest reasons that many children in the DRC are out of school is because of the onerous fees that parents have to pay. Although the government recently adopted a policy of free education at the earliest grades, schools often still charge fees and struggle to cover their resource needs. Bagalwa Foundation is working to help schools and parents find alternate sources of revenue and ensure that the most vulnerable children do not have to pay. As another piece of the access puzzle, children are more likely to attend and finish school if they feel safe and supported. Bagalwa Foundation will help local actors build a sense of emotional and physical safety in and around classrooms, training teachers and community members to assess their school safety needs and work together to address them. Bagalwa Foundation will also use an adapted version of curriculum for safe schools, working with teachers, residents, and students to increase positive disciplinary tactics, respect children’s rights, and reduce gender-based violence.