ABOUT THE CAMPAIGN

Every child, everywhere, has the right to an education. Unfortunately, 262 million children around the world are currently denied this right. A child who is out of school is more vulnerable to human traffickers and recruitment by militias, and at increased risk of early marriage, teen pregnancy, and child labor.

We want to extend the life-changing power of education to the most disadvantaged children – children in conflict zones, children in remote areas, children living in extreme poverty, and children who face discrimination because of their gender, disability, or ethnicity.

With 20 million members globally and with the second largest private education system in the world, the Adventist Church has not only a unique opportunity, but also a moral and Christian responsibility to ensure that every child, everywhere, has the opportunity to attend school and get a quality education, regardless of race, religion, or circumstance.

The call for every child, everywhere, to be in school is a recognition of the value and potential of each individual child. Every child is a child of God—precious in His sight—and deserves the opportunity to live a life of dignity and purpose, free from exploitation and the shackles of poverty.

Worldwide the number of children out of school has dropped by almost half since 2000, but progress has slowed with almost no improvement since 2012. Action is needed to ensure that every child, adolescent and youth attends school and completes their education.

Today, 41,000 girls were married before the age of 18 ¹¹. Today, 15,000 children died from mostly preventable causes ¹². Today, more than 1 billion people had to live on less than $1.25 ¹³ . Today, 262 million children didn’t go to school ¹⁴. Unless we do something, they won’t go to school tomorrow, either, and ultimately this will lead to more young girls getting married, having babies doomed to die in infancy, and perpetuating the cycle of poverty. Let’s not wait another day to take action.