In Liberia, education is not something to be taken for granted. “The long-lasting effects of a 14-year civil war, compounded by the 2014 school closure due to the Ebola outbreak, had a huge impact on the education system.” (UNICEF) Many schools were damaged or destroyed, and many teachers fled the country or changed careers. As a result, many schools closed, and many of the schools that stayed open are concentrated in urban areas. Now take all of those damaging factors, and add in cost. According to Insights Liberia, “Poverty is a major barrier to education in Liberia. Many children are unable to attend school due to the costs associated with uniforms, books, and other supplies.”

Enter Educate Children. Educate Children works to improve access to and quality of education for primary-age children in Liberia’s slum communities. They develop programs to increase enrollment, enhance quality of instruction, and improve learning outcomes in primary schools. ámaxa teams work to raise funds to pay tuition costs for Liberian students within Educate Children’s communities of focus. One year of tuition is only $80, and we don’t want financial costs to be the reason any child does not receive an education.

Thus far, ámaxa teams have worked hard to help Educate Children further their mission. One team sponsored 7 students’ full tuition by organizing a bike race to raise funds. Other groups have contributed to digital marketing efforts by creating content and working on a newsletter. All ámaxa students that work with Educate Children come away from the experience with not only transferable skills, (marketing, content creation, teamwork, organization, event planning, etc.) but also a greater knowledge of the world around them, and an enhanced understanding of education issues around the globe.