Poor families develop their livelihood through education

&

poor youth become honest and dedicated change agents

EDS develops poor children and youth to become cooperative, honest change agents who develop their livelihood and society through education. We empower poor people to solve problems by helping each other. We motivate the local community to use their human resources (time, knowledge, skills, honest minds and good hearts, but no or as little money as possible) to help poor children and youth.

Bangladesh is a highly populated country where 77% live on 2 USD/day*  or less and only 63% are literate**. School dropout rates are high (66% complete grade 5 and 51% grade 10). Poverty forces parents to send their children to work (they cannot afford school materials or extra tuition). Children lose interest in learning when they do not understand the class and are afraid to ask questions as some teachers misbehave. The government and NGOs work to improve the situation.

EDS, started in 2005, gives 300 poor children in Moheswarpasha and industrial areas in Khulna education. The 8000 laborers in Ajax and Shonali jute mills (Khulna) earn about 50 USD/month. This is hardly enough to feed the family, so their children are at high risk of dropping out of school and become child laborer.

EDS is a holistic education program (non-governmental, nonpolitical, nonreligious) with an integrated approach to education, health and social/ethical development including children, parents and their communities. EDS creates a good learning environment where the children feel safe and free to ask questions and where learning if fun. By giving the children time and behaving friendly with them they develop trust in the educators. Through studies, sports and cultural activities the EDS children develop their social and ethical skills and are motivated to good behaviour and learning.

We use action learning to share and test new knowledge, reflect, learn together, develop skills, give positive feedback and celebrate success. Everybody in EDS are volunteers and participation is free.

EDS does not use external funding because we want poor children and youth to experience that they have the capacity to help each other and be less aid dependent.

See facebook for more EDS pictures: EDS facebook

* UNESCO Institute of Statistics - Education profile Bangladesh

** UNESCO Institute of Statistics. Bangladesh