We are amid worldwide changes. 2020 was a great challenge, and we hope that in 2021 we can surmount all the rigours life throws at us.

My 8-year-old grandchild, Joaquin, was interviewed today for a chance to move to a new school in Potomac, MD. He seemed to grasp the importance of the interview. 

The Principal, Mr. M, explained to Joaquin that there would be a lot of freedom at this new school. The Principle went on to ask, “What does this new freedom mean to you, Joaquin?”   

Joaquin is an avid reader and didn’t hesitate to quote from a book[1] he had just completed reading, “Well you know Mr. M, you can’t have freedom without self-discipline. Freedom comes from making good choices.” 

Mr. M., following the interview, reported to my delighted daughter what Joaquin had told him. 

Freedom truly is the freedom from slavery to bad choices and reactions to false pride and egoism. To make good choices is about seeing the need that exists around you and to open yourself to the Love of God, and respond to the impulse he gives us to be genuinely free.

Working in our clinic, a woman named Fozia told me she wanted to do something great, something extraordinary with her life. She is a Muslim woman recently married and waiting for her husband’s immigration to Canada.

“Precisely, that is what it does. It just hangs out in the sky and gives light for us in the dark. That is what you must do to be great. You must reflect God’s Love. You must be a light in the darkness.” I continued to say, “You are Muslim. You have devotion to Mary, the Mother of Jesus. What did she do special? Was she the leader of a country? Was she a corporate leader, an engineer, doctor, great scientist?”

Fozia smiled, “No.”

Mary said 2020 years ago, “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices I God my Savior for he has regarded the humility of his handmaid. For behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed. Because he that is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name…”[2]

“So Fozia,” I continued, “to be great in your life, you must reflect God’s Love and become like to moon, a light in the darkness like the moon reflects the light of the sun.”

We all have a choice to make 2021 better than in 2020. We have a choice of freedom to choose good or to remain slaves to capricious whims and passions.

Thank you for your donations to CFTW in 2020.  Please continue to be a light in the darkness and reflect God’s Love. 

Our projects desperately require your continued generosity.

“Well you know Mr. Ross, you can’t have true freedom without self-discipline.”

Please help us help those in need.

John Bickert, B.Ed., D.C.

President,

CFTW

 [1] The Way of the Warrior: An Ancient Path to Inner Peace © 2019 McManus, Erwin Raphael. The Fedd Agency, Inc. Austin TX

 [2]Luke 1:46-49Luke 1:46-49

Introduction

Africa has generally been known as a continent where poverty is common and subsisting on a low income is the norm. However, the impoverished communities of this beautiful continent are growing, and by 2030, it is anticipated that as many as 90% of the world’s total poor population will be located in this area.

The data can be difficult to decipher at first, and it may even appear on the surface to indicate that poverty in the African region is on a decline from 54% in 1990 to 41% in 2015. However, due to the population growth that occurred at the same time, the total number of people who are living in extreme poverty has actually increased substantially, from 278 million to 413 million in the same time period.

Some countries are making strides toward ending poverty, with Ethiopia and Kenya the closest and Ghana close behind. However, Zambia and Mali have struggled to achieve the same international assistance seen by some other countries.

Why No Improvement?

The reasons why poverty continues to dominate talk in Africa are many, and not all are easy to solve. In total, 27 of the 28 poorest countries in the world are in Sub-Saharan Africa, with poverty rates over 30%. But poverty is not just a measure of financial wellness or the ability to acquire income; rather, it is a holistic examination of quality of life that considers hunger, shelter, access to healthcare, education access (both in terms of distance and society), being able to read or have a job, losing children to curable illnesses, and even the attitude of living one day at a time.

The most common factors by which poverty is measured are:

• Availability of shelter

• Access to clean food and water

• Ability to use healthcare services

• Government corruption

• Poor infrastructure

• Consumption of natural resources

However, in addition to these external criteria, individuals must also be assessed for emotional and spiritual poverty. These can have just as important an impact on the world—an emotionally and spiritually fatigued individual may not have the aspiration to continue their education, and the world has lost a valuable mind who may have made breakthroughs and contributions to others.

Why Address Poverty?

Our humanity often moves us to commiserate about the state of poverty in Africa, but sympathy alone is not the only reason to address poverty around the world. Because the insecure lifestyle generated by inadequate provisional needs makes people vulnerable, a number of issues can arise that have a global impact.

Imagine, for example, the change that would occur to unrest in the region if more people had access to food, healthcare, and job opportunities. Inept leadership may be replaced with highly educated individuals who are suited to lead wisely, and a country with strong leadership can become an integral player on the international stage. Similarly, countries that do not have inadequate healthcare help to keep global travel robust and safe despite outbreaks of dangerous diseases like Ebola and COVID-19.

US vs. THEM

African countries continue to fall behind in their goals to eradicate poverty. In September 2015, nations around the world joined in the Sustainable Development Goals agreement that was intended to eradicate poverty; however, many African countries are not on track to meet their promised poverty levels. 

Part of the reason for falling short is due to a lack of international funding. Communities already stricken by poverty cannot just pull themselves up by their bootstraps; they need international aid from NGOs and other charitable organizations. If you have the financial means, you too can help pull people out of poverty by donating to these worthwhile causes.

Organizations like CFTW make it their mission to rehabilitate poverty stricken communities and heal the whole person—not just by providing financial means. Instead, CFTW and other charities work with underprivileged communities to educate them both academically and spiritually so that they can move on as fully realized individuals.

You can help CFTW and other charitable organizations by donating as you are financially able. Your contributions, even in the amount of a few dollars, go a long way in communities where a single dollar is more than some people earn for an entire day’s work. You can also contribute your time via volunteer hours at the in-person or online organizations that you are most passionate about. We have a global responsibility to help our fellow humans in need, especially when they are unable to help themselves.

Around the world, people of all ages feel the effects of an educated society—or the lack thereof. In third world countries in particular, education is often viewed as more of a privilege unattainable by many than a right for all. A number of common undertones inform why academic achievement is out of reach for the majority of third world residents; the good news is that by understanding what causes educational inequality and lack of access, charities and kindhearted people around the world can work to fix this situation and improve the lives of people around the world.

Funding

One of the primary challenges facing children seeking to attend school is funding. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights states that all children, regardless of financial status, should have access to education. This has prompted schools around the world to reduce or even eliminate school fees, but this is not yet ubiquitous. Many schools in third world countries continue to require fees in order to attend, and for families at or below the poverty level, this may be a bridge too far.

Even if the school itself does not charge a fee, compulsory items such as pens and notebooks can place a severe financial burden on low-income families that may prevent them from being able to afford schooling. And because many children in third world countries are relied upon as an additional source of income, schooling means not only losing a portion of an already small income (as one worker takes up education) but also paying additional fees for the schooling itself.

Resources

Many third world countries struggle to offer appropriate educational resources. In one out of every three countries, less than 75% of teachers are sufficiently trained, and classrooms are either nonexistent or severely underfunded in many locations. Some schools in education-sparse countries like Malawi lack basic amenities like running water or toilets, and as many as 130 students may be in one classroom together.

A lack of Learning materials is also a significant contributor to the education crisis. Outdated textbooks are common, and in some countries like Cameroon, there are as many as 13 students to every one textbook. Teachers are responsible for supplying their own workbooks and other core materials, and in countries where these teachers likely did not receive sufficient education themselves, they may be no better off financially than their students. 

Unfortunately, most third world countries have little or no allocation of government money toward education, which places a high demand on foreign aid. Despite this, only 20% of global educational aid goes to low-income countries. However, small contributions can make a world of difference; it currently costs $1.25 per day to send a child to school for 13 years. If each country were able to allocate just 15 more per child, many more individuals would be in a financial situation to attend schooling. This is where the comprehensive work of charities and generous donors comes in, to cover the gaps that low-income countries are unable to bridge themselves. Just 15 cents per day amounts to less than $55 per year to grant access to education for a child.

Exclusion

One of the primary drivers behind increasingly poor education in third world countries is the variety of factors that drive exclusion and inequality in schooling. What immediately comes to mind is likely the gender divide, which sees fewer girls attending school due not only to gender bias, but also to lack of access to critical products like menstrual pads that allow them to attend with dignity. One in three girls marries before the age of 18 in the developing world, which typically requires them to drop out of school if they did attend in the first place.

In addition, distance to schooling or general school availability in zones of conflict also impact access to academia. And because many poverty-stricken households are rural, this issue only compounds for those most at risk. Disabled children also face an uphill battle to attend schooling; up to 95% of children with disabilities in the world’s poorest countries never attend school at all. Discrimination and lack of proper training for teachers means that disabled students who do make it to the classroom are suspended or expelled more than twice as often as their non-disabled peers.

What to Do

The global education crisis still has a long way to go before equal academic opportunities are presented to all people of all geographical locations and genders. Change cannot come on its own, and that is why charities rely on people like you to share a little of their good fortune. Even a small donation can mean the difference between an educational opportunity for a child and a missed chance at a better outcome in life.

What’s Next 

Countries across African continue to suffer from unsustainable economies that can collapse at any moment, local conflict, ballooning poverty levels, failing educational systems, and natural disasters like droughts that only exacerbate other issues. These barriers to a better quality of life can be addressed, but it will take cooperation and a concerted effort from people across the globe to offer the assistance that the African people need.