Children from poor families barely have access to quality education in Peru. Many children interrupt their school education to help their families make a living. By providing educational support, Intiwawa empowers the children to seek different opportunities and to escape the cycle of poverty.
How is this possible? The UNESCO identified the reasons why education is such a powerful tool for fighting poverty in a sustainable way.
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Education promotes economic growth
Education means helping people to learn how to do things and encourages them to think about what they learn. Educated people are more likely to focus on career goals and work hard to achieve them. Education also results in higher wages: According to UNESCO, one additional year of education results in a 10% increase in wages. Therefore, education contributes significantly to the economic development of a country.
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Education promotes gender equality
Education empowers women personally and economically and, therefore, promotes gender equality. Educated girls and young women are more likely to know their rights, they are usually better decision makers and have a higher self-confidence. Educated women are also more likely to marry later and have children when they are truly ready. For women, one additional year of education results in a 20% increase in wages.
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Education promotes health
Education increases people’s knowledge of how to live a healthy life. Through education, people learn more about health and are better able to protect themselves and their children against diseases. Educated people know what kinds of foods are healthy and are more likely to prepare healthy meals for themselves and their families. Education also provides people with knowledge about vaccinations, clean drinking water, personal hygiene and fitness.
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Education promotes environmental sustainability
Education can support the protection of our natural environment. The higher the level of education, the more likely it is for people to be concerned for the environment. People with more education tend to save water, recycle their waste and protect and cultivate plants. Education can also provide future farmers with critical knowledge about sustainability challenges in agriculture.
