I've seen a lot of weepiness on facebook in the last few weeks from moms (none from dads...that's weird...) misty over their oldest or youngest kids going to school. But this picture sums up my feelings about it. When your kids get on the bus, literally or figuratively, that means you've kept them alive and healthy - unlike the 19,000 children who will die of treatable and preventable causes this year. It means that you got them access to education - unlike 61 million primary school aged kids this year. It means you've done a great job, Mom and Dad. That deserves a toast! Now, with the kids in school, we have a little more time to fight for those other kids who aren't as lucky as ours. I'll drink to that.
Don't misunderstand. There's nothing wrong with being nostalgic about your babies growing up. What's more, I totally get where this meme in the picture is supposed to be going. When we can, my husband and I actually schedule a day off of work for the first full day of school to have a mid-day date of shopping, lunching, and other extra-curricular activities. But for the other days of the school year, having kids in school means time to dedicate myself uninterrupted to my job with RESULTS working toward the end of poverty, helping other volunteers reach for lofty goals like Education for All. By "all," I mean "ALL." No child on the planet without access to quality teachers and a safe, enriching learning experience. No girls left behind to tend goats or infants while brothers go to school.
Why do this in my free and my professional time? Because it's part of making a better world for my kids. Heck, it's a part of making a better world for myself! And it's definitely part of making a better world for those kids and moms in extreme poverty crying out for education. Let's break it down and list out three of those reasons that get at "what's in it for us?" as well as "what's in it for them?"
#1 Education leads to safety and national security: Education helps to fight poverty and spur economic growth. It is a prerequisite for short- and long- term economic growth and stability. After all, no country has achieved rapid economic growth without at least 40% of adults being able to read and write. Just one year of primary schooling adds about 10% to a person's future wage. So, getting kids educated leads to stable developing countries. Of the world's 20 poorest countries, 16 have suffered a major civil war in the last 20 years. Need to bring this back home on a local level? Consider that education offers an alternative to extremism. I heard Julia Bolz of Journey with an Afghan School tell a story about how boys that came to the first day of school with guns later returned with soccer balls in hand instead. That's an improvement that shows me how less extremism means fewer American soldiers stationed overseas and lives lost. That's local to me.
#2 Education of girls is like a "social vaccine": Girls are much less likely to be educated worldwide than boys, but the impact of educating a girl has huge impact on global health. Children of mothers with a primary education are 50% more likely to be immunized. The largest contributing factor to reducing child malnutrition has been the education of women - even more so than direct food aid! Plus, according to the World Bank, the risk of HIV/AIDS infection is more thank halved for young people, particularly girls, who stay in school and complete a basic education.
#3 Educated girls make educated moms who stand a chance of breaking the cycle of poverty: Women and girls make up nearly 70% of the poor worldwide. Women make up an increasing share of the workforce (40.5% globally in 2008), but in many regions, women are disproportionately employed in “vulnerable jobs” in agriculture and in the services sector as factory workers...not to mention those swept up into human trafficking. These jobs are often characterized by informal working arrangements that lack decent working conditions and adequate wages. But mostly, it comes down to this: when women control the family budget, they are more likely than men to invest in children’s health and well-being.
So, kick back and enjoy the quiet. Have your favorite beverage in a mug and pat yourself on the back on a job well done getting your children out of the house and into the school. And when you're done, take a quick action. Contact your U.S. representative and tell him or her to support the Education for All Act of 2013 (H.R. 2780). You can call or you can use this handy online tool from RESULTS. It will only take a minute, I promise. A minute you can now well afford! :)
P.S. Just for fun, here's last years' first day of school internet picture that went viral. I'm thinking it's the same mom. I'd love to credit her for her humor and creativity and share this blog with her, too, if anyone knows where I can find her.
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