Projects
Nicaragua
In Nicaragua, Global Education Funds’s agenda focuses on raising teachers’ level of knowledge in their own discipline and on providing training to enhance practical application of academics, critical and creative thinking skills, methodology, techniques, and the use of natural resources.
Based on international best practices in education, including constructivism and Harvard’s Teaching for Understanding, GEF presents pedagogical training that is specific and relevant to the country’s needs, culture, and history. Tools are provided that help teachers use the national curriculum to better engage students in the learning process. GEF training goes beyond the acquisition of knowledge (or facts) to concentrate on a student’s ability to apply creativity, logic, and understanding of those facts in their daily lives.
Santa Fe
GEF supports two projects in Santa Fe, both assist youth who are abandoned, abused and/or trafficked by the adults in their lives.
Sex Trafficking of Youth
According to the U.S. Department of Justice, nearly 85% of victims in confirmed sex trafficking cases are U.S. citizens – mostly homeless and foster youth. This attests to the demand for young victims; the average age of children entering the commercial sex industry is 11-12 years. Approximately 325,000 children in the U.S. are victims of sexual exploitation annually. Sex trafficking is considered one of the fastest growing criminal activities in the U.S. Selling a child repeatedly brings long term income versus a one-time sale for a pound of cocaine.GEF supports two projects in Santa Fe, both assist youth who are abandoned, abused or trafficked by the adults in their lives.
New Mexico older foster youth
New Mexico Foster Youth Initiative
Imagine being in foster care living with over 10 families during middle school, changing schools with each move; being sexually abused since childhood. Hard to imagine? Yes, but Mary knows this life too well. She is one of many youth who were not adopted and entered adulthood alone. Her brother was more fortunate; he was adopted, lives with a loving family and seldom sees Mary.
“Ask Me Who I Am” is an anthology of work by older New Mexican foster youth published by GEF. Children Youth and Families Department (CYFD) youth participated in creativity workshops to generate writing, poetry and art that explored/reflected their particular struggles and successes. It reveals powerful stories of struggle, survival, sorrow, humor, reality and dreams.
Southeast Asia
The mission of the Southeast Asia Education Project is to improve opportunities for the Burmese people through improving their access to education.
At GEF, we believe that the most effective way to provide assistance to the people of Burma is through existing civil society organizations. We provide our partners with direct financial support as well as tools to take full advantage of existing educational opportunities. We also work with providers of education and training services to help them reach our partner organizations and other students in the most efficient and effective manner.
Mozambique – CERCI
There are over 25,000 disabled youth in Mozambique and only 5 schools to accommodate them. Less than 50 percent of children complete primary school and local authorities are unable to provide adequate services for disabled children. The Global Education Fund in partnership with CERCI (Portuguese acronym for Education and Rehabilitation of Handicapped Citizens), a Mozambique nonprofit organization, supported a project for handicapped youth in that country. GEF helped organize a capital campaign in the United States to provide handicap students in Maputo, Mozambique, with a new educational center in which to study and receive rehabilitation.
Rwanda
Global Education Fund partnered with Esther’s Aid a Rwandan NGO to complete a project that delivered a shipment of clothing to women and children who were infected with HIV/AIDS. The program was initiated and funded by members of Harvard University, Kennedy School of Government, Women in Power 2003 to support their fellow member, Rose Kabuye in her struggle to assist the women and children of her country.