EDUCATIONAL ENRICHMENT

According to the United Nations, an estimated 265 million school-aged children don’t have access to an education. Despite being classified as a human right, education remains inaccessible for roughly 10 percent of children across the planet. And when kids are denied an opportunity to learn, they’re also denied hope for a better future. Educational programs like these work to end the cycle of inequality, poverty, and marginalization.

CHILDREN IN THE WILDERNESS: Operating throughout Sub-Saharan Africa, this nonprofit organization aims to educate children in rural Africa about the importance of conservation and its relevance in their lives. Through various outreach efforts, the nonprofit identifies kids who are doing well in school, but whose parents cannot afford to continue their education. Every year, Children in the Wilderness (CITW) provides 600 scholarships to cover school fees, uniforms, and other expenses.

In addition, CITW brings school children together weekly to learn, discuss, and expand their understanding of the local ecosystem. The structured curriculum encourages youngsters to problem solve, develop solutions, and take initiative over projects that directly benefit their village. In doing so, CITW helps develop the next generation of leaders who will learn to care for their natural heritage and become custodians of wild and resource-rich areas in the future. To date, the organization has directly impacted over 11,000 kids.

TAKE ACTION: When guests choose safaris tied to Children in the Wilderness, they are in turn helping support Eco-Club programs at local schools and supporting camps at partner properties.

CHILDREN OF THE RAINBOW: For Peruvian children living in the Sacred Valley of the Incas, simple necessities like a primary school education, warm meal, and basic medical care were traditionally unattainable before 2008 — that’s when the Children of the Rainbow school was established . The school supports more than 220 children between the ages of three and 13 and provides a “whole child” approach to learning, which requires the entire family be committed to the process. Families from the Sacred Valley also benefit from an in-house doctor and dentist, nutritional assistance, and other social support services. Children of the Rainbow also offers a library with 2,000-plus books in Spanish, English and Quechua. Educational projects allow students to develop valuable skills like critical thinking and communication, as well as artistic and digital talents.

TAKE ACTION: Want to experience this impact firsthand? Visit Peru’s Kuychi Center to meet the children at Niños del Arco Iris (Children of the Rainbow). See how the community expands this elementary school’s outreach beyond education, growing it into an oasis of nutrition, medical care, and hope. After a warm welcome from the children, tour the school’s cafeteria, kitchen, garden, and classrooms, interacting with students and gaining insights from a local philanthropy coordinator along the way.

DID YOU KNOW? Education isn’t strictly about classrooms and textbooks. It’s also about learning how to keep a cultural tradition alive. And no place is this more evident than Japan. The country’s Living National Treasures is a designated group of artists and craftsman who have dedicated their lives to mastering an “intangible cultural property,” as defined by the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology. With a maximum of 116 Living National Treasures, the designation is considered one of Japan’s highest honors. Guests to Japan can visit washi paper makers who are dedicated to the craft but need attention and sales to keep their traditional art alive.